THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


i^issfonarn  S2Uortj)fes. 


^^^ 


The  burning  ot  th3  Missionaries'  Houoe.  p.  95. 


ANECDOTES 


OF 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES, 


IN  THE 


MORAVIAN  CHURai. 


BELATED   BY  A   FATHER  TO   HIS   CHILDBEll. 


WRITTEN  FOR  THE  AMERICAN  S.  UNION.  AND  REVISEB 
BY  THE  COxMMITTEE  OF  PUBLICATION. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
AMERICAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION. 

1122  Chestnut  Street. 


Entr^rd  according  to  the  Act  of  Coneress,  in  the  year  1833, 
by  Pacl  Beck,  Jr.  Treasurer,  in  trust  for  the  American  Sunday 
School  union,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the 
Eastern  District  of  PennsyUama. 


ANECDOTES,  &c. 


CONVERSATION  I. 

Mr.  Fox's  two  children,  Emma  and  Edwin, 
havmg  lately  read  the  "  Sketches  of  Mora 
vian  Missions,"  published  by  the  American 
Sunday  school  Union,  presented  to  them  bv 
a  worthy  clergyman,  came  one  fine  summer's 
evening  to  their  father  to  inquire  whether  he 
could  not  give  them  some  information  con- 
cerning the  flourishing  settlements  of  the 
Moravians  in  the  West  India  Islands,  which 
Mr.  Barlow  in  that  volume  had  promised  to 
furnish  his  children  with  occasionally. 

Emma.  Come,  father,  let  us  take  our  seat 
under  the  shade  of  our  big  peartree,  and  do 
you  tell  us  some  stories  about  the  Moravian 
Missions. 

Edwin.  O  do.  Father  !  I  know  you  have 
ead  and  heard  a  great  deal  about  them. 

Emma.  Please  to  contmue  the  narrative 
which  Mr.  Barlow  breaks  oif  abruptly  you 


4  ANECDOTES  OF 

know,  in  those  sketches  which  Mr.  S.  gave 
me. 

Mr.  Fox.  You  know,  my  dear  children, 
that  I  am  at  all  times  willing  to  oblige  you 
in  any  reasonable  request ;  but  as  I  have  no 
doubt  Mr.  Barlow  will  shortly  fulfil  his  pro- 
mise to  his  children,  you  will  then  have  an 
opportunity  to  read  his  narrative  yourselves. 

Edivin.  But  Father,  can't  you  tell  us  some 
other  stories  ? 

Mr.  Fox.  If  you  promise  to  listen  atten- 
tively, I  will  tell  you  some  anecdotes  concern- 
ing Missionary  AVorthies  in  the  United  Bre- 
thren's church,  which  may  prepare  your 
minds  for  a  more  detailed  account  of  their 
missionary  establishments  in  the  AVest-Indies. 

Edwin.  Indeed  father,  we  will  listen  with 
much  attention. 

Mr.  Fox.  I  will  begin  by  introducing  you 
to  one  of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy, 
and  who,  perhaps,  was  one  of  the  worthiest 
missionaries  in  the  world. 

The  name  of  this  devoted  servant  of  God 
was  Christian  Gottlieb  Israel.  He  Avas  born 
about  the  year  1713,  in  the  village  of  Eubau, 
near  Herrnhut,  in   Saxonv,  and  received  his 


MISSIONARY  WORTHII^.  5 

education  in  the  orphan  house  of  the  last 
mentioned  town.  He  was  humpbacked  and 
lame,  one  of  his  legs  being  stiff  and  shorter 
than  the  other  ;  in  consequence  of  which,  as 
you  may  well  conceive,  his  constitution  was 
feeble  and  infirm.  But  in  this  unseemly  body 
dwelt  a  noble  soul,  fired  with  an  ardent  desire 
to  serve  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  among  the 
heathen.  His  sentiments  on  this  head  he  ex- 
pressed somewhat  to  the  following  purport,  in  a 
letter  addressed  to  the  congregation  at  Herrn- 
hut :  "  I  know  in  whom  my  soul  believes  !— i 
He  has  given  me  a  mind  not  to  pursue  those 
objects  that  are  perishable. — I  desire  nothing 
beyond  carrying  on  this  work,  and  to  recom- 
mend that  giace  to  others  which  has  been 
vouchsafed  to  me.— <I  find  in  myself  no  suf- 
ficiency for  these  things  ;  but  I  beseech  the 
Saviour  to  give  me  those  things  he  has  de- 
signed that  I  should  have.  I  believe  that  1 
shall  go  among  the  heathen  when  the  Lord's 
set  time  is  come.  I  will  be  a  pi'grim,  pos- 
sessing nothing  and  desiring  nothing,  save 
that  I  may  be  favoured  to  preach  Christ  cru- 
cified, &c." — Soon  after  he  was  called  to  go 
us  a  missionary  among  the  blacks,  on  tVe 
A  2 


6 


ANECDOTES  OF 


coast  of  Guinea,  and  accordingly  set  out  foi 
A.msterdam.  Here  Count  Zinzendorf  gave 
his  destination  another  turn,  by  ordering  him 
to  the  West  India  Islands  with  Albinus  The- 
odore Feder,  formerly  a  student  at  the  Univer- 
sities of  Jena,  Leipsic,  and  Halle,  and  latterly 
approved  by  Christian  VI.  king  of  Denmark, 
to  be  the  minister  in  ordinary  of  the  Mora- 
vian Brethren's  colonies,  in  the  Danisl  West 
India  Islands. 


Having  set  sail  from  the  Texel,  Nov.  17th 
1739,  during  the  first  week  of  their  voyage 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  7 

Feder  was  consti.ntly  seasick ;  and  Israel, 
who  had  thus  far  enjoyed  health,  on  the  26th 
of  November  met  with  an  unfortunate  acci- 
dent. While  in  the  act  of  ascending  on  deck, 
to  procure  some  water  for  his  companion,  he 
fell  backwards  down  the  staircase,  and  bruised 
his  lame  leg  to  that  degree,  that  for  several 
weeks  he  could  not  bear  his  own  weight  on 
t,  and  suffered  violent  pains  in  it  by  day  and 
by  night.  Being  thus  both  confined  to  their 
births,  it  was  a  great  mercy  that  the  captain's 
cook,  a  free  baptized  negro,  kindly  of  his  own 
accord  undertook  to  nurse  them,  the  captain  fur- 
nishing them  with  provisions  from  his  own  table 

Emma.  Well,  I  trust  these  kind  hearted 
people  will  in  no  wise  lose  their  reward,  for 
having  ministered  to  the  wants  of  these  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus  ! 

Mr.  Fox.  Most  assuredly  not ;  else  how 
would  the  promise  of  Christ  be  fulfilled: 
*'  Whosoever  shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of 
these  little  ones  a  cup  of  cold  water  only,  in 
the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward."  Bui 
to  proceed.  By  the  12th  of  December  they 
had  both  regained  their  usual  share  of  heaUh. 


8  ANECDOTES   OP 

Feder afterwards,  at  the  negro's  request,  taught 
him  arithmetic,  and  Israel  worked  at  his  trade, 
making  linen  suits  not  only  for  himself  and 
colleague,  such  as  they  intended  to  w^ear  in 
the  West  Indies,  but  also  for  the  hands  on 
board  that  desired  it,  without  accepting  the 
least  compensation  for  his  labour ;  and  in  so 
doing,  you  may  easily  suppose,  he  won  the 
good  will  of  the  whole  crew.  Jan.  7th,  1740 
they  entered  the  harbour  of  St.  Eustatia, 
which  was  their  destined  port.  On  the  13th 
they  once  more  set  sail  in  an  English  vessel 
bound  for  Jamaica,  via  St.  Thomas.  Towards 
evening,  the  next  day,  they  got  among  manv 
islands  and  keys,  and  the  passage  being  a 
dangerous  one  at  night,  the  captain  brought 
the  vessel  to,  in  a  bay  near  Spanishtown.  The 
16th  they  sailed  out  w^ith  a  high  wind,  but 
before  they  had  quite  cleared  Spanishtown 
and  Tortola,  the  wind  abated.  The  captain 
being  an  entire  stranger  in  these  parts,  deter- 
mined to  proceed  during  the  night;  but  the 
mate  insisted  on  the  necessity  of  their  run- 
ning into  a  harbour.  The  captain  in  so  far 
yielded  to  these  suggestions,  that  he  came  to 
an  anchor  near  Scrop,  a  small  but  high  rocky 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  9 

island  in  the  vicinity  of  Tortola,  to  save  the 
expense  of  running  into  a  regular  harbour. 
Towards  daybreak  of  the  17th  a  great  thun- 
derstorm arose,  attended  with  heavy  squalls 
and  rain.  For  the  greater  security  of  the 
vessel,  the  captain  ordered  another  anchor  to 
be  cast.  At  daylight  they  weighed  the  an- 
chors ;  but  before  the  second  was  brought  up, 
the  storm  drove  the  vessel  towards  a  steep  cliff, 
projecting  somewhat  above  the  water,  a  few 
paces  from  Scrop,  whereupon  it  was  forcibly 
iashed  against  the  rock.  In  an  instant  the 
sailors  endeavoured  to  save  themselves  by 
jumping  into  the  boat  and  rowing  off.  The 
two  brethren  begged  to  be  taken  in  likewise, 
but  the  boat  cleared  off  in  great  haste,  either 
because  it  had  already  its  full  complement  of 
men,  or  because  the  fury  of  the  waves  called 
for  such  expedition. 

The  situation  of  the  wrecked  vessel  was 
such,  that  its  bowsprit  projected  beyond  the 
cliff  on  which  it  split.  The  two  brethren, 
together  with  three  negroes,  succeeded  in 
climbing  over  the  bowsprit  to  the  rock,  where, 
not  finding  room  sufficient  to  stand,  they 
were  compelled  to  lay  themselves  one  upon 


10  ANECDOTES   OP 

another.  Here  indeed  they  were  tolerably 
well  secured  against  the  encroachment  of  the 
waves  ;  still  their  lives  were  in  constant  dan- 
ger, as  the  sails  and  ropes  overliead,  sus- 
pended from  the  bowsprit,  whenever  the  waves 
tossed  the  vessel  to  and  fro,  threatened  to  drag 
them  from  the  rock  into  the  sea.  The  only 
way  for  them  to  prevent  this  accident,  was  by 
each  time  hastily  laying  hold  of  the  sail 
and  pushing  it  away  overhead.  At  the  foot 
of  the  cliff  lay  a  great  number  of  stones,  scat- 
tered about  three  feet  asunder,  and  reaching 
to  the  rocky  shore  of  the  Ishnd  of  Scrop. 
Feder  made  the  first  attempt  to  save  himself 
by  means  of  them,  and  to  effect  his  purpose, 
let  down  a  rope  from  the  rock.  On  Israel's 
turning  himself  with  difhculty  and  danger, 
to  see  what  was  become  of  him,  he  was  just 
on  the  point  of  placing  his  foot  on  one  of  the 
aforesaid  stones  ;  a  moment  after,  he  beheld 
him  swimming  in  the  water,  trying  to  lay 
ho»d  of  the  stones.  But  the  raging  billows 
washed  him  off,  and  dashed  him  to  pieces 
between  the  stones  and  the  ciiff. 

Emma.   Oh,  what  a  hard  death  that  was. 
for  such  a  orood  and  learned  man. — I  wondei 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  11 

the  Lord  did  not  save  him,  and  ralhsr  let  the 
crippled  missionary  perish — or  did  he  also 
peri!<li  ? 

]\Ir.  Fox.  He  was  preserved  in  a  most  mi 
raculous  manner,  as  you  shall  presendy  hear. 
Yet  you  must  ever  remember  that  "  God's 
thoughts  are  not  as  our  thoughts,  neither  are 
his  ways  as  our  ways,  and  that  he  hath  chosen 
the  weak  things  of  the  world,  to  confound  the 
things  which  are  mighty,  and  base  things  of 
the  world,  and  things  which  are  despised — to 
bring  to  nought  things  that  are — that  no  flesh 
should  glory  in  his  presence." — Taking  a 
last  glance  at  the  motionless  body  of  Feder, 
whose  clothes  by  this  time  were  torn  into 
rags,  Israel  thus  blessing  his  departing  com- 
panion, exclaimed  :  *'  Go  in  peace,  my  dear 
Brother !"  on  whic).  the  waves  carried  the 
corpse  out  of  sight,  so  that  Israel  saw  him  no 
more. 

Emma.  Brother,  do  you  recollect  those 
beautiful  lines  by  the  poet  Montgomery,  which 
may  be  ajiplied  to  the  tragical  yet  happy  de- 
parture of  this  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ  ? 

Edwin    I  suppose  you  refer  to  the  ode  on 


12  ANECDOTES  OF 

the  Christian  soldier's  death,  which  concludei 
with  the  following  lines  : 

"  The  pains  of  death  are  past, 
Labour  and  sorrow  cease ; 
And  life's  long  warfare  closed  at  last, 
His  soul  is  found  in  peace. 
Soldier  of  Christ!  well  done ! 
Begin  thy  new  employ ; 
Sing  while  eternal  ages  run, 
Thy  Master  and  his  joy  !" 

Mr.  Fox.  Under  these  trying  and  mournful 
e»rcumstanoes,  the  survivor's  heart  was  filled 
with  an  extraordinary  degree  of  divine  conso- 
lation. He  perfectly  resigned  himself  into 
the  will  of  God,  if  He  should  see  proper  to 
let  him  find  a  watery  grave  with  fiis  just  de- 
parted brother,  feeling  assured  that  the  Sav- 
iour would  never  leave  nor  forsake  him,  let 
what  would  occur.  Every  moment  in  dan- 
ger of  death,  he  had  the  presence  of  mind 
to  sing  the  following  verse,  expressive  of  the 
hardships  attending  the  life  of  a  missionary : 

With  fire  and  with  spirit  endow'd  ev'ry  moment. 

Ye  ministers  of  Christ  confest, 

Gk)  forth,  and  proclaim  ye  the  word  of  atonement 

Both  far  and  near ;  and  when  opprest 

By  hardships  and  trials,  be  bold  in  God, 

And  gladly  for  him  spend  your  life  and  blood. 


MISSION ARF  WORTHIES.  13 

'Midst  tempests  and  billows,  and  through  deserts  go, 
The  seeds  of  the  gospel  'mongst  heathen  to  sow  ? 

In  the  mean  time  the  stern  of  the  vessel 
had  been  driven  closer  to  the  heap  of  stones 
on  which  Fader  had  hoped  to  save  himself. 
One  of  the  men  who  had  remained  on  board, 
quickly  threw  a  plank  across,  and  in  this 
manner  reached  the  shore  of  the  island  in 
safety.  Israel  and  some  of  the  rest  were 
anxious  to  follow  his  example  ;  but  he  found 
much  difficulty  in  getting  over  the  bowsprit. 
Presently  after,  the  stern  of  the  vessel  went 
to  the  bottom,  and  with  it  perished  the  five 
or  six  persons  on  board.  Israel  put  forth 
all  his  strength  to  save  a  boy  who  was  cling- 
ing to  the  forepart  of  the  vessel,  which  by 
this  time  was  hove  still  nearer  to  the  cliff. 
He  threw  him  the  rope  by  means  of  which 
Feder  had  let  himself  down  ;  but  although  he 
exerted  himself  to  the  utmost,  yet  he  was  too 
weak  to  draw  up  the  boy,  and  so,  to  his  un- 
utterable grief,  had  to  let  him  perish. 

Some   prospect  appearing    that   he    might 

save  himself  by  the  help  of  some  parts  of  the 

wreck,  he  prayed  to  the  Lord,  who  impressed 

his  mind  with  the  assurance,  that  if  he  would 

B 


14  ANECDOTES  OF 

not  make  the  attempt,  but  remain  some  time 
longer  on  the  cliff,  he  would  be  saved.  The 
vessel,  which  had  hitherto  broke  the  force  of 
the  waves,  beinj^  now  sunk,  tliese  ruf^hed 
without  opposition  over  the  rock,  so  as  to 
endanger  his  life,  either  by  washing  liim  into 
the  sea,  or  killing  him  by  means  of  the  broken 
pieces  of  the  wreck,  which  they  drove  over 
the  rock.  He  prayed  to  the  Lord,  iliat  since 
he  had  preserved  him  alive,  while  so  many 
of  his  companions  had  been  drowned,  he 
would  be  pleased  to  render  his  deliverance 
complete.  He  discovered  three  boats  at  a 
distance,  but  none  of  them  could  venture  to 
approach  the  rock,  without  encountering  a 
similar  fate  to  that  of  the  wrecked  vessel. 
Finally,  in  the  afternoon  some  of  the  islanders 
threw  out  ropes  to  him  and  the  negro,  who 
still  remained  with  him,  by  means  of  which, 
first  the  black  man,  and  then  Israel,  were 
drawn  through  the  water  and  up  the  steep 
rocks  of  the  Island  and  saved. 

Edivin.  Oh  !  how  rejoiced  I  feel  to  hear 
that  the  poor  cripple  was  saved  at  last  ! 

Mr.  Fox.  Here  you  have  another  instance 
Dt  a  striking  nature,  in  modern  times,  that  the 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  1  5 

decla-ation  of  the  Bible  yet  holds  good: 
"  The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous 
man  avalleth  much."  Israel  was  kindly  en- 
tertained and  provided  with  a  dry  suit  of 
clothes  on  the  estate  of  Mr.  Van  der  Pol,  who 
had  made  the  arrangements  for  his  deliverance 
Here  he  met  with  the  captain  and  those  o 
his  crew,  that  had  saved  themselves  by  means 
of  the  boat.  Israel  had  saved  nothing-  but  his 
life  ,  all  his  and  Feder's  goods,  all  the  letters, 
medicines,  and  other  articles  they  had  brought 
out  for  their  brethren  in  St.  Thomas,  were 
lost.  From  Scrop  he  first  passed  over  to 
Tortola,  where  the  English  governor  treated 
him  with  great  kindness,  and  then  to  St. 
John's,  where  he  staid  three  weeks,  before  he 
found  an  opportunity  to  get  to  St.  Thomas. 
The  commandant  of  St.  Johns,  being  favoura- 
bly inclined  towards  the  brethren  for  the  sake 
of  their  missionary  labours,  provided  for  all  his 
wants,  and  entertained  him  in  a  very  hospita- 
ble manner.  Although  he  lived  here  upon  the 
bounty  of  others,  yet,  as  a  state  of  inactivity 
was  intoleiable  to  him,  he  contrived  to  render 
himself  useful  to  oilers,  by  mending  gra- 
tuitously tl  e  clothes  of  the  military.     On  the 


16  ANECDOTES  OF 

1 8th  of  February  he  arrived  at  St.  Thomas  in 
a  boat  that  the  brethren  had  sent  over  re  r  hira 
He  happened  to  come  to  Tappus,  the  name  of 
the  missionary  station,  just  when  the  mission- 
aries and  their  people  were  met  for  divine 
service.  After  the  first  salutations  and  ex- 
pressions of  love  and  joy  had  passed,  he 
went  down  upon  his  knees  with  the  congre- 
gation, and  returned  heartfelt  thanks  to  Al- 
mighty God  for  the  wonderful  grace,  help,  and 
deliverance  he  had  experienced.  In  so  doing 
his  conduct  sweetly  coincided  with  that  exhor- 
tation in  the  107th  Ps.  ver.  31  and  32,  where  the 
Psalmist,  having  described  the  miraculous  de- 
liverance of  shipwrecked  mariners,  adds  these 
emphatic  words  :  "  Oh  that  men  would  praise 
the  Lord  for  his  goodness,  and  for  his  won- 
derful works  to  the  children  of  men  !  Let  them 
exalt  him  also  in  the  congregation  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  praise  him  in  the  assembly  of  the  el- 
ders !" 

Emma.  How  many  yeirs  did  this  excellent 
man  labour  among  the  ne^rroes  ? 

Mr.  Fox.  Somewhat  better  than  tnree 
years  and  a  half.  He  immediately  entered 
mxh.  great  spirit  upon  the  discharge  of  his  im- 


MlSSIO:>rARY  WORTHIES.  17 

portant  functions,  having  been  ordained  for 
the  ministry  some  time  before  he  left  Holland 
and  being  of  one  mind  with  his  fellow  la- 
bourers, to  know  nothing  save  Christ  and  him 
crucified,  he  had  the  great  satisfaction  to  see 
the  preaching  of  the  cross  attended  with 
abundant  success  that  same  year,  so  that  in 
writing  to  Count  Zinzendorf  on  the  subject  in 
September  following,  he  could  furnish  the 
following  description  of  what  he  witnessed  : — 
*'  The  grace  manifesting  itself  among  these 
poor  people,  beggars  all  description  ;  souls 
are  melting  like  wax.  As  soon  as  they  feel 
the  plague  of  their  hearts,  they  draw  near  to 
the  Lamb  of  God.  Daily  souls  find  grace, 
and  their  number  is  constantly  increased  by  a 
great  many  strangers."  These  souls,  burning 
with  the  fire  of  their  first  love,  would  joyfully 
testify  to  others  what  great  things  the  Lord 
had  done  for  them.  The  negroes  flocked  in 
erowds  to  the  meetings,  and  the  missionaries 
were  often  engaged  till  midnight  in  con- 
versing with  individuals  on  the  important  con- 
cerns of  their  souls.  White  people  were  as- 
tonished at  the  change  WTought  among  so 
man«v  negroes,  and  several  slave-drivers  were 
b2 


18  ANECDOTES  OF 

curious  to  hear  the  Brethren's  doctrine,  which 
had  so  renovating  an  effect  upon  the  blacks 
who  formerly  led  such  an  abandoned  and  pro- 
fligate life.  Among  the  negro  children  too, 
there  was  a  great  desire  manifested  to  know 
the  Lord,  and  to  experience  the  power  of  di- 
vine grace. 

At  the  close  of  the  year,  Israel  thus  ex- 
pressed his  sentiments  concerning  the  pros- 
perous state  of  the  mission  at  that  period : — 
*'  Oh  what  ecstatic  happiness  to  witness  the 
transforming  power  of  divine  grace  in  the 
hearts  of  these  black  people  !  First  they  are 
awakened  and  learn  to  know  the  wickedness 
of  their  hearts  ;  then  they  weep,  and  cry  for 
mercy  until  they  obtain  faith  in  Jesus'  merits. 
And  when  they  have  this,  their  joy  knows 
no  bounds  ;  they  even  come  at  night  and  in- 
crease our  joy,  by  relating  what  great  things 
the  Lord  has  done  for  their  souls." 

Soon  after  he  went  with  the  missionaries 
Frederick  Martin  and  George  Weber,  two 
other  well-tried  servants  of  Christ,  to  St.  Croix, 
in  order  to  re-commence  the  mission  there, 
which  had  for  some  time  been  relinquishea 
Here  they  had  to  encounter  a  host  of  difficulties, 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  19 

owing  to  the  climate  and  to  the  soil,  which, 
though  very  rich,  yet  was  overrun  with  thick 
woods  and  prickly  plants  of  different  kinds, 
which  rendered  the  clearing  of  the  land  ex- 
cessively laborious.  Serpents,  rats,  and  ver- 
min of  every  kind,  also  contributed  to  augmen 
the  difficulties  which  they  had  to  contend  with. 
For  a  time  they  subsisted  according  to  the 
mode  generally  resorted  to  by  the  negroes  ; 
bread,  meat,  and  butter  being  altogether  out 
of  the  question,  they  boiled  a  calelu,  or  greens 
composed  of  the  leaves  of  trees,  and  ate  land- 
crabs  with  it,  which  fortunately  were  then 
found  in  abundance.  The  missionaries  were 
all  taken  ill,  and  a  famine  raged  among  the 
blacks,  which  even  carried  off  some  of  them, 
so  that  the  labours  of  the  brethren  did  not 
meet  with  that  success  they  desired  ;  still  their 
courage  did  not  fail  them.  Israel's  letters, 
which  he  sent  home,  invariably  breathed  a 
spirit  of  confic'ential  hope,  that  the  Lord  would 
bless  their  labours  bestowed  upon  the  negroes, 
and  opon  their  eyes  to  behold  a  Saviour's 
grace.  In  one  of  these  letters  he  says:— "We 
are  quietly  waiting  for  the  Saviour  to  brnig  tc 
life  the  dead  souls  of  the  negroes   and  in  the 


20  AXECDOTES  OF 

mean  time  we  testify  unto  them,  that  He  died 
for  them,  and  that  they  will  obtam  eternal  life 
if  they  will  turn  unto  him." 

December  21,  1741,  he  returneo  to  St. 
Thomas,  being  called  to  superintend  that 
mission  during  Martin's  absence.  But  in 
March  of  the  ensuing  year,  he  and  George 
"Weber  were  requested  by  Count  Zinzendorf 
to  come  to  Pennsylvania,  in  order  to  confer 
with  them  at  Bethlehem,  on  the  then  state  of 
the  mission,  and  to  grant  them  a  season  of 
rest  and  refreshment  after  the  severe  service 
they  had  seen.  After  a  voyage  of  less  than 
three  weeks  they  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  and 
were  received  with  every  mark  of  respect  and 
affection  due  to  them  as  servants  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  M'ho  bore  visible  marks  of  the  sufferings 
they  had  endured  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel. 

Edwin.  Indeed,  father,  I  think,  if  I  had 
been  at  Philadelphia  when  these  clear  minis- 
ters arrived,  I  would  have  tried  all  in  my 
power  to  render  them  comfortable. 

Mr.  Fox.  Carefully  cherish  this  disposition, 
my  son  !  The  day  may  come  when  you  may 
be  enabled  to  reduce  it  to  practice.  But  1 
have  not  vet  done  with  this  modern  Paul.    Id 


MISSIOi\ARY  WORTHIES.  21 

September  Israel  returned  to  St.  Thomas  in 
company  with  John  Bohmer.  They  were 
seven  weeks  on  the  way,  and  had  to  encoun- 
ter much  distress.  The  mast  of  their  vessel, 
being  half  rotten,  was  broker,  down  in  a  mo- 
derate gale  ;  and  as  the  hands  were  so  few 
on  board,  they  had  an  immense  deal  of  labour 
before  they  could  raise  it  again.  They  had 
hardly  erected  it,  before  it  fell  a  second  time, 
and  almost  broke  the  crazy  bark  to  shivers. 
After  once  more  righting  the  mast  as  well  as 
they  could,  the  sails  would  not  fit,  because 
they  had  been  compelled  to  shorten  it.  After 
having  rectified  the  sails  with  much  ado,  they 
had  to  wait  until  August  21st  before  the  wind 
shifted  in  their  favour.  September  24th  they 
arrived  at  Spanishtown ;  the  next  day  they 
sailed  in  a  fishing  boat  to  St.  Thomas,  and 
goin^  around  St.  Johns,  they  found  on  their 
arrival  at  St.  Thomas,  that  they  had  not  only 
escaped  the  Spanish  privateers  cruising  in 
those  seas,  but  also  the  dreadful  hurricane  of 
August  9th,  which  they  would  unquestionably 
have  had  to  encounter,  if  they  had  not  been 
80  long  de  tained  on  their  voyage. 
Edwin     How   kind   our   Saviour  was    to 


'22  ANECDOTES  OF 

these  brethren  and  their  fellow-paseengers, 
although  at  first  he  seemed  to  cross  all  their 
designs  I 

3Ir.  Fox.  Hence  you  may  learn  to  understand 
how  "  all  things  work  together  for  good  unto 
them  that  love  God ;"  or,  in  the  language  ol 
the  poet : 

"  Storms  of  trouble  may  assail  us, 
Yea,  life's  vessel  overwhelm  ; 
Yet  no  danger  need  appal  us, 
If  our  Saviour  guide  the  helm." 

The  whole  burden  of  the  missionary  laboui 
at  St.  Thomas  now  rested  on  the  brethren 
Israel  and  Bohmer.  The  latter  was  still  un- 
acquainted with  the  Creole  dialect,  and  the 
former  was  constantly  ailing  since  his  return 
from  America.  His  decaying  tabernacle  often 
cracked  dreadfully,  as  hr  was  wont  to  express 
himself,  and  yet,  for  the  sake  of  the  blacks,  he 
longed  for  strength  to  bear  up  under  the  nard- 
ships  of  this  life  a  li.tle  longer.  "  Pray  to 
God,"  he  once  said,  addressing  the  believing 
negroes  in  a  prayer  meeting,  "that  he  would 
give  me  strength  ;  for  if  I  should  go  to  sleep 
now.  there  would  no  brother  be  left  here, 
who  could  tell  you  a  word  about  our  Saviour." 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  23 

The  Lord  granted  this  request  in  so  far,  that 
although  he  had  been  very,  ill  all  day,  yet 
when  the  evening  came  and  the  negroes  met 
for  divine  worship,  he  was  enabled  to  arise 
out  of  his  bed  and  deliver  a  testimony  con- 
cerning the  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus, 
with  power  and  unction  of  the  Spirit.  Boh- 
mer,  who  had  very  soon  acquired  a  knowledge 
of  the  Dutch  language,  usually  gave  out  the 
lines  of  a  Dutch  hymn,  and  while  the  last 
verse  was  being  sung,  the  sexton  would  go 
and  call  Israel,  who  had  just  so  much  strength 
given  him  as  he  required  for  a  short  address 
to  the  meeting.  Here  too  was  that  scriptural 
promise  fulfilled  :  "  as  thy  day  is,  so  shall 
thy  strength  be."  Towards  the  close  of  the 
year  his  health  was  somewhat  better  ;  but  at 
the  opening  of  the  year  1743  he  had  such  a 
heavy  relapse,  that  an  occasional  meeting  was 
ill  he  could  attend  to. 

June  11th  he  and  Bdhmer,  together  with 
Tutweiler,  who  had  come  in  May  from  Penn- 
sylvania to  their  assistance,  moved,  for  greater 
convenience,  into  a  small  new  house  which 
Bohmer  had  built.  At  that  time  Israel  seemed 
somevvnat  better.    That  he  was  fully  resigned 


24  AJTECDOTES  OF 

to  the  will  of  God  for  life  or  death,  appears 
from  the  following  expressions  in  one  of  hi» 
letters :  "  Let  the  Saviour  do  with  me  a^ 
seemeth  good  in  his  sight.  If  my  time  be 
up,  may  he  take  me  to  himself  as  a  sinner 
trusting  in  his  merits.  If  He  designs  to 
make  further  use  of  me,  let  him  restore  my 
tabernacle.  My  brethren  are  still  loath  to  be- 
lieve that  I  am  shortly  to  fall  asleep.  His 
will  be  done  !  That  settles  all."  He  took  a 
solemn  leave  of  the  communicant  members 
and  nearly  all  the  negroes  that  were  present 
on  the  prayer  day  of  July  21.  Having  ga- 
thered all  around  his  dying-bed,  he  gave  them 
the  following  valedictory  charge  :  "  I  would 
fain  address  a  few  words  more  to  you,  but  I 
am  very  weak.  I  have  become  so  much  re- 
duced by  my  illness  and  the  pains  that  I  en- 
dured, that  I  indulge  the  hope  of  soon  going 
home  to  our  Saviour.  I  have  not  come  here 
to  consult  my  ease  and  comfort ;  you  know 
that.  I  have  cheerfully  sacrificed  my  life  for 
our  Saviour's  and  your  souls'  sake.  I  have 
prer.ched  nothing  to  you  but  Chnst  and  him 
crucified.  Never  forget  the  Saviour  and  his 
bitter  agony.     Be  obedient  in  all  things  to  my 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  25 

brethien  and  sisters.  I  have  stood  before  tlie 
Lord  for  you  with  many  tears  and  sighs.  Now, 
as  you  see,  I  shall  soon  go  to  him.  I  am  con- 
tent that  he  should  call  me  this  very  hour. 
Therefore  I  beseech  you,  do  not  forget  him ; 
do  not  forget  his  blood  and  his  death.  Be 
faithful  to  him,  that  I  may  rejoice  when  you 
also  shall  be  admitted  into  his  presence.  Be 
faithful  to  him  and  set  a  good  example  to 
other  blacks,  and  endeavour  to  win  them  like- 
wise to  the  Saviour.  He  might,  I  know,  if 
he  pleased,  restore  me  agam  ;  but  now  I  see 
before  me  nothing  but  my  speedy  departure 
Remember  me  in  your  prayers,  and  may  the 
Saviour  ever  have  you  in  his  holy  keeping !" 

Having  next  sung  a  few  verses  for  him, 
every  negro  stepped  to  his  bed-side,  shook 
hands  with  him,  kissed  him,  and  thus  undei 
a  shower  of  tears,  took  leave  of  his  beloved 
teacher.  He  gently  fell  asleep,  on  the  2d  of 
August,  while  the  brethren  'and  sisters,  theo 
present,  were  singing  a  hymn. 

This  faithful  servant  of  Jesus,  at  the  time 

of  his   departure,  was   not  quite   30  years  of 

age.     His  burning  love  to  the  Saviour,  his 

thirst  for  the  salvation  of   the  negroes,   his 

C 


26  ANECDOTES  OF 

firmness  and  invincible  courage  under  all  dif- 
ficulties, his  trust  in  God,  his  resignation  to 
the  divine  will,  and  the  patience  he  manifested 
during  his  lingering  and  highly  painful  illness, 
fitted  him  for  an  example  worthy  of  the  imi- 
tation of  his  brethren.  His  mortal  remains 
were  interred  on  the  following  day  in  the 
white  people's  graveyard  near  the  village, 
amid  a  vast  concourse  of  spectators,  when 
the  missionary  Brucker  addressed  the  meeting 
in  a  short,  but  appropriate  discourse. 

Emma.  Oh !  Father !  what  a  touching, 
heart-affecting  story  you  have  told  us  !  I 
could  not  help  thinking,  when  you  came  to 
the  closing  scene  of  this  Christian  soldier's 
life,  of  the  words  of  Scripture  ;  "  Let  me  die 
the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last 
end  be  like  his  !" 

Mr.  Fox.  And  to  me  the  following  impres- 
sive lin<»s  of  the  poet  occurred — 

"  To  me  to  live,  is  Christ, 

To  me  to  die,  is  gain, 

For  I  have  fought  the  fight  of  faith. 

And  all  my  foes  are  slain. 

My  'y>urse  I've  finish'd  now, 

AnH  tept  the  Christian's  faith, 

>  cr"wn  of  righteousness  the  IX)RD 

Wi^  ^ve  me  after  death.' 


MISSvOlVARY  WORTHIES. 

Thus  p+ioijted  holy  Paul, 
Assur'd  of  faith's  blest  end  ; 
Thy  language  was  the  same  the  day 
That  Christ  call'd  home  his  fnend. 

Go,  vet'ran  of  the  cross, 
Mark'd  with  thy  Saviour's  scars, 
And  take  thy  seat  in  realms  above. 
Far,  far  beyond  the  stars. 

Thou,  too,  full  well  didst  know 
That  suff 'rings  felt  in  time, 
Were  nevermore  to  be  compar'd 
With  glory's  matchless  clime. 

The  Lord  of  All  is  thine, 
With  all  his  glorious  state  I 
May  we  who  still  in  bodies  groan 
Thy  pattern  emulate  I " 


CONVERSATION  H. 

Edwin.  Father,  won't  you  tell  js  some 
more  entertaining  stories  about  the  mission- 
aries ? 

Emma.  Yes.  I  wish  you  could  give  us 
some  particulars  about  their  labours  among 
the  black  children      I  remember  hearing  you 


28  ANECDOTES  OF 

say  the  last  time  we  met,  that  among-  them, 
too,  a  great  desire  was  manifested  to  know 
and  serve  the  Lord. 

Mr.  Fox.  I  am  very  happy  to  have  it  in 
my  power,  in  some  measure  at  least,  to  Ratify 
your  commendable  request.  And  1  do  it  the 
more  readily,  as  I  hope  and  pray  that  the  ac- 
count I  am  about  to  give  to  you  concerning 
the  eagerness  of  these  negro  children  to 
know  and  to  love  the  Lord  our  Saviour,  will 
tend  to  excite  you  to  a  holy  emulation  in  re- 
ligion and  to  that  important  self-inquiry, 
whether  you  have  made  such  advances  in  the 
divine  life,  as  these  children  had,  according 
to  those  authentic  documents  from  which  my 
information  is  drawn.  The  principal  instru- 
ment which  the  Lord  employed  to  feed  his 
lambs  in  the  Island  of  St.  Thomas,  was  the 
missionary  Reinhard  Ronner,  who  was  sent 
out  by  the  conference  at  Bethlehem.  He 
landed  on  that  island  Aug.  29th,  1750,  and 
soon  approved  himself  every  way  qualified 
for  the  office  to  M-hich  he  was  appointed. 
His  mode  of  proceeding  was  this  ;  he  eithei 
instructed  them  at  the  mission-house  in  iYm 
principles  of  the   Christian  religion,   or  els 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  26 

went  abroad  with  his  wife,  to  visit  them  on 
the  different  plantations.  He  remarks  in  his 
jonrnal,  that  the  number  of  children  that  fre- 
quented their  meetings,  including  those  he 
occasionally  visited,  amounted  to  more  than 
five  hundred.  On  his  visits,  his  chief  aim  was 
to  acquaint  them  with  the  history  of  the  life, 
sufferings  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ.  He 
described  to  them  the  great  love  of  Christ 
which  induced  him  to  die  for  the  sins  of  man- 
kind, and  in  pursuance  of  which,  he  is  now 
ready  to  wash  all  those  from  their  sins  in  his 
blood,  and  to  transform  them  into  cheerful, 
happy  creatures,  that  come  to  Him  with  all 
their  guilt  and  misery,  and  gladly  receive  him 
into  their  hearts.  He  enlarged  more  particu- 
larly on  the  great  love  the  Saviour  bore  to- 
wards children,  and  thereby  excited  them  to 
a  reciprocal  aff(;ction  and  to  a  confidential 
trust  in  Him.  These  delight%l  and  consolatory 
truths  found  admittance  into  many  a  youthful 
heart,  and  the  number  of  those  that  tenderly 
loved  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  hated  whatever  was 
displeasing  to  him,  was  very  considerable 
Their  desire  to  hear  the  Saviour's  words  was 
rery  great.  Whenever  Ronner  and  his  part- 
c2 


30  ANECDOTES  OF 

ner  would  enter  the  premises  of  an  estate, 
the  children  would  be  sure  to  run  with  joy- 
ful haste  to  meet  and  welcome  them  ;  because 
they  had  been  anxiously  expecting  the  day 
when  Baas,  i.  e.  their  master  or  spiritual  guide, 
would  come  and  hold  a  meeting  with  them. 
DurinsT  the  service  they  M'ere  unremitted  in 
their  attention  to  what  was  said,  and  seemed 
fairly  to  take  ever]^  word  out  of  his  mouth. 
If  the  bad  state  of  the  weather,  or  any  other 
cause,  prevented  the  meeting  from  being  kept, 
the  parents  had  much  ado  to  comfort  them. 

Edwin,  Indeed,  Father,  I  think  our  neigh- 
bour's boy,  John,  ought  to  learn  a  lesson  from 
these  pious  negro  children,  for  he  does  hate 
to  go  to  a  place  of  worship,  and  if  he  does 
go  at  last,  after  his  father  has  threatened  to 
punish  him  if  he  don't,  he  is  all  the  time 
playing,  laughing,  or  talking,  without  attending 
in  the  least  to  what  the  minister  says. 

Mr.  Fox.  That  is  very  likely,  my  dearj 
yet  I  iear  you  are  a  little  self-righteous  sinner, 
who,  seeing  the  mote  or  splinter  in  his  bro 
thei's  eye,  cannot  discover  the  large  beam  in 
liifl  own  eye.  AVhile  you  cannot  say  with 
aijtb,  that  y  >u  bre  the  L  ^rd  Jesus  as  tenderl\ 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.     '  31 

as  these  coloured  children  are  said  to  have 
done,  you  must  own  that  you  fall  short  of 
what  you  ought  to  do  and  to  be,  and  that  it 
therefore  ill  becomes  you,  an  imperfect  crea 
ture.  to  pass  such  a  heavy  censure  on  poor 
John,  who  by  the  by  does  not  enjoy  near  so 
many  privileges  and  advantages  for  becoming 
a  pious  Christian  as  you  do. 

Emma.  Please  to  go  on,  Father,  with  your 
narrative  ;  I  am  anxious  to  hear  more  of  this 
good  missionary  and  his  lambs. 

Mr.  Fox.  Ronner's  first  question  to  the 
children  on  his  arrival  among  them,  generally 
was  this  :  did  they  love  the  Saviour  ?  and  in 
most  cases  he  received  a  cheerful  answer  in 
tlie  affirmative.  Such  as  could  not  in  con- 
science say  yes,  held  their  peace.  On  further 
inquiring  ivhy  they  loved  the  Saviour,  he 
ofttn  received  very  animating  replies,  "We 
therefore  love  him,  they  would  say,  because 
he  died  for  our  sins,  and  because  he  redeemed 
and  saved  us  by  his  blood."  From  such, 
and  similar  answers,  he  would  then  proceed 
to  show  more  at  length,  what  grateful  and 
aftectionate  returns  they,  and  all  mankind, 
ought  to  render  to  the  Redeemer  for  his  un 


82  ANECDOTES  OF 

speakable  love.  On  such  occasions  too,  Ronnei 
never  failed  to  give  suitable  instructions  to  the 
parents  of  these  black  children,  how  to  edu- 
cate them  in  the  fear  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord. 

The  question  being  one  day  put  to  the  chil- 
ren  as  usual  in  their  meeting,  whether  they 
loved  our  Saviour,  one  girl  only,  of  about 
fourteen,  kept  silence.  Mrs.  Ronner  after- 
wards took  her  privately  aside,  and  asked  her 
whether  she  did  not  indeed  love  the  Saviour ; 
on  which  the  girl,  bursting  into  tears,  replied : 
"  No  !  for  I  have  such  a  wicked  and  obstinate 
heart  that  often  grieves  the  Saviour,  and  when 
I  make  this  discovery,  it  grieves  me  again  in 
turn." 

Such  and  similar  complaints  often  dropped 
from  the  lips  of  the  children  of  both  sexes, 
and  afforded  a  clear  evidence  of  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  on  their  hearts,  while  they  like- 
wise elicited  all  the  skill  and  fidelity  of  their 
instructors  to  keep  alive  the  sacred  flame  of 
childlike  conf.dence  and  trust  in  the  infallible 
support  of  their  Saviour. 

One  day  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  national 
assistants  confessed  to  Mrs.  Ronner  that  she 


MISSIOXARY  WORTHIES.  33 

had  so  far  felt  no  desire  to  be  converted,  and 
had  therefore  purposely  avoided  going  to 
church  ;  and  ihat  whenever  her  mother  had 
idmonislted  her  to  go,  oi  had  reproved  her 
on  an}'  other  account,  she  had  always  got 
dreadful  angry  at  her.  Now,  however,  she 
was  very  \^  illing  to  be  converted,  if  only  her 
self-willed  and  obstinate  heart  would  not  con- 
stantly resist  every  admonition  given  her. 
She  seemed  to  be  in  great  bitterness  of  spirit 
on  account  of  her  indwelling  corruptions. 
Mrs.  Ronner,  discovering  that  a  work  of  grace 
had  commenced  in  the  heart  of  this  child,  ad- 
vised her  to  turn  to  the  only  pliysician  of 
souls,  anxious  to  be  relieved  from  the  load  of 
sin  and  guilt. 

And  now  let  me  put  the  question  to  you, 
do  you  believe  that  you  need  conversion  ? 

Emma.  If,  for  the  reasons  just  stated  by 
you,  the  little  black  girl  did,  I  feel  and  find 
1  also  need  a  change  of  heart ;  for  I  am  often 
naughty,  and  not  a  little  self-willed,  and 
Uiough  I  love  to  learn  and  repeat  those  lines 
of  the  poet — 

"  Self-will,  that  cruel  enemy, 
No  more  I  Avould  obey  ; 
Thy  Spirit  shall  ni\  teacher  be, 
And  guide  me  in  thy  way," 


34  ANECDOTES  OF 

I  find  it  much  more  difficult  to  practise  this 
lesson  than  to  commit  it  to  memory.  Oh  1 
grieve  and  mourn  that  the  Holy  Spirit  and  my 
dear  parents  and  many  other  people  are  grieved 
by  my  conduct,  and  I  resolve  and  try  to  do 
better,  and  yetr— 

Mr.  Fox.  And  yet  you  will  never  fully  ac- 
complish your  design,  until  you  go  to  that 
same  physician  for  health  to  whom  the  black 
child  was  directed  to  apply.  One  day  'vhen 
the  missionary  inquired  of  a  boy,  v/helher  he 
knew  that  he  had  a  Saviour,  who  loved  him 
and  had  died  for  his  sins,  the  little  fellow  can- 
didly replied  :  "  No  Baas — I  don't  know  that 
I  am  bad  enough,  and  have  a  wicked  heart, 
and  much  need  a  Saviour  to  help  me ;  but  my 
master  wont  let  me  go  to  school,  how  then 
can  I  know  any  thing  about  the  Saviour  ?" — 
Such  proliibitions  were  particularly  and  pain- 
fully oppressive  to  those  children,  in  whose 
hearts  the  love  of  Christ  had  already  been 
kindled  by  pious  instruction  in  their  meetings. 
If  such  now  and  then  chanced  to  meet  a  chil- 
dren's Baas,  (the  name  they  gave  to  those  that 
laboured  for  their  spiritual  welfare,)  they  would 
rejoice  exceedingly,  unbosom   their  distresses 


MISSIOIVARY  WORTHIES.  35 

to  him  and  beg  him  for  a  few  "  Saviour's 
words"  as  tliey  called  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
On  the  whole,  a  most  tender  affection  subsisted 
between  the  children  and  their  teacher,  so 
that  at  first  sight  of  him,  they  would  either 
run  to  meet  him,  or  else  hastily  run  back  to 
carry  the  joyful  tidings  of  his  approach  to 
the  rest  of  their  companions  on  the  estate. 
Passing  by  a  plantation  one  day,  a  dozen  of 
children  ran  after  him,  begging  him  not  to 
omit  his  visit  to  them,  'i'hey  would  not  be 
pacified  until  he  had  given  them  some  account 
of  the  Saviour  and  his  love.  In  this  way  he 
very  often  had  his  little  meetings  with  them 
in  the  street,  or  in  the  open  field. 

On  another  occasion,  a  baptized  youth  en- 
treated him  to  enter  a  house,  and  on  inquiring 
what  he  should  do  there,  the  other  replied  : 
"  Will  you  refuse  to  tell  us  some  words  about 
the  Saviour  ?"  Of  course  the  missionary 
conformed  to  the  boy's  request,  and  was  agree- 
ably surprised,  to  find  a  large  circle  of  children 
collected  together  by  the  endeavours  of  this 
youth. 

A  girl,  whose  name  was  Christina,  appeared 
very  serene   and   cheerful  during  her  illness 


36  ANECDOTES  OF 

Her  grandmother,  of  whom  at  the  commence 
ment  of  her  illness  she  begged  a  favour  vvhinh 
she  hoped  would  mitigate  her  pains,  said  to 
her  ;  "  I  will  cheerfully  do  it  for  you  ;  but  i* 
grieves  me,  that  I  never  see  you  pray  to  our 
Saviour,  who  is  the  only  one  that  can  help 
you."  The  child  replied:  "It  is  true,  you 
do  not  see  me  pray,  but  in  my  heart  I  often 
pray  to  him  ;  there  I  feel  him  and  know  as- 
suredly that  I  am  His,  and  that  I  am  going  to 
Him."  Her  friends  and  relations  that  went 
to  see  her  during  her  illness,  could  not  refrain 
from  expressing  their  surprise  and  admiration 
at  the  many  tender  expressions  of  her  love  to 
the  Saviour  which  escaped  her  lips.  When 
her  uncle  Cornelius,  a  native  teacher,  a 
few  hours  before  her  departure  sang  these 
meg — 

"  The  Saviour's  blood  ana  ngnteousness 
My  beauty  is,  my  glorious  dress  ; 
Thus  well  array 'd  I  need  not  fear 
When  in  His  presence  I  appear," 

she  acknowledged  it  to  be  very  sweet  and 
comforting  to  her.  After  calling  for  a  drink 
of  water,  and  talking  of  the  water  of  life 
which  the  Saviour  would  give  her,  she  jusl 


MIS'y?WAR^   •*;  RTHIES.  8*7 

added  :  "  Now  I  will  joyfully  depart  to  Him  " 
and  immediately  fell  asleep. 

Edwin.  O,  what  a  lovely  child  that  wa«  ' 
don't  yon  think,  father,  she  died  happy  ? 

Emma.  Why  brother,  would  you  doubt  i 
for  a  moment  while  she  was  feuch  a  goa: 
praying  soul  ? 

Mr.  Fox.  I  have  no  doubt  that  she  went 
to  heaven,  yet,  if  so,  it  was  not  owing  tc 
her  exemplary  conduct,  nor  to  the  virtue 
of  her  prayersy  but  only  to  the  all-sufficiem 
merits  of  that  Saviour,  in  whom  she  put  her 
whole  and  only  trust,  and  confidence.  Le? 
me  relate  some  more  striking  instances  of  the 
power  of  Divine  grace  on  the  hearts  of  these 
lambs. 

Another  girl  of  12  years,  during  her  sick 
ness  sent  for  the  native  assistant  Benigna,  and 
told  her  that  the  Saviour  had  called  her,  and 
was  about  taking  her  to  himself;  that  she 
was  very  wili^^r.g  indeed  to  go  to  him,  because 
she  lovp-d  ^-*  'Ti  ''rom  her  whole  heart,  and  thrf. 
there  ^^t  ^-'^Ji'-xg  in  this  world  that  delighted 
her  any  mort.  R3inhard  Ronner,  the  indeia 
tigable  missL^na~v  went  to  see  her,  and  asking 
her  '*h<»tK^-  *^3  fcelieved  that  she  had  an  i? 
D 


88  ANECDOTES  OF 

terest  in  the  sufferings  of  the  Lord  J(  sus,  sh« 
most  cheerfully  replied  in  ♦he  affirmative,  anc 
went  on  to  say,  tliat  she  was  not  only  fully  as- 
sured of  the  forgiveness  of  her  sins,  but  like 
wise  that  she  would  soon  go  home  to  the 
Lord.    A  few  hours  after  she  gently  fell  asleep. 

The  missionary,  meeting  a  boy  in  the  field, 
and  asking  him  how  he  did,  received  this  en- 
couraging answer  that  he  felt  in  his  heart, 
that  the  Saviour's  love  to  him  must  be  great, 
because  he  felt  so  inexpressibly  happy  when- 
ever he  thought  of  him. 

Owing  to  the  peculiar  state  of  servitude  in 
which  a  certain  girl  was  placed,  she  could 
seldom  go  to  meeting.  When  therefore  slie 
one  day  received  permission  to  go  there  with 
her  mother,  her  joy  scarce  knew  any  bounds. 
"  To  day,  she  exclaimed,  my  desire  is  grati- 
ried,  because  I  can  go  to  hear  the  Saviour's 
words,  that  are  so  very  sweet  to  me ;  oh 
what  a  long  time  have  I  hungered  for  them  !" 
When  Mrs.  Ronner  went  to  see  her,  the  girl 
declared  that  she  loved  the  Saviour  with  her 
whole  heart,  that  she  often  conversed  with 
him  at  home,  and  remembered  the  words  sne 
had  heard  concerning  him  in  the  metrtinji.— « 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  39 

Tliis  child,  as  well  as  others  that  coula 
eeldom  come  to  meeting,  contrived  to  keep  up 
their  acquaintance  with  the  missionaries  througli 
the  agency  of  their  parents  or  other  contiden 
tial  friends,  through  whom  they  requested  a 
place  in  their  affections,  and  sent  word  how 
they  fared. 

The  missionary  one  day  opened  the  chil 
dren's  meeting  on  a  certain  plantation*  by 
singing  the  verse,  "  O  world,  see  thy  Creator,'' 
(fee,  when  a  boy  wept  all  the  time,  and  on  being 
asked  the  reason,  he  replied,  that  the  Saviour 
had  shown  such  great  love  to  him,  and  still  his 
love  to  Jesus  was  so  cold  ;  that  he  had  a  wick- 
ed heart,  and  oftentimes  greved  him. — A  boy 
on  being  met  by  Ronner  in  the  street  and 
asked  whether  he  loved  our  Saviour,  said  with 
a  very  sorrowful  look ;  "  No,  I  do  not  love 
him  ;  for  I  so  often  get  angry  at  my  father 
and  my  mother,  and  quarrel  with  my  brothers 
and  sisters.  Yet  all  the  while  I  feel  so  wretch 
ed,  that  I  know  not  which  way  to  turn." 
Ronner  was  delighted  with  his  sincerity,  and 
^iffectionately  advised  him  to  turn  to  the  Sa- 
viour, with  whom  he  would  assuredly  find 
comfort  and  rest.— Another  boy  declared  to 


40  ANECDOTES  OF 

the  missionary  not  only  that  he  loved  the 
Saviour,  but  that  he  also  felt  his  heart  to  be 
cornipt,  and  that  he  was  still  often  led  astray. 
A.t  such  times  he  would  have  a  heavy  heart, 
but  then  lie  would  so  lonof  beg  the  Saviour  for 
grace  and  pardon,  till  his  heart  would  grow 
light  again.  This  poor  youth  had  to  suffer 
many  stripes  from  his  ungodly  parents  for 
the  sake  of  his  love  to  Christ. 

Edwin.  Indeed  I  am  thankful  that  /  have 
not  such  wicked  parents  as  to  whip  me  for 
going  to  church. 

Emma.  And  yet,  is  it  not  very  strange, 
that  we  notwithstanding  neither  love  our  Sa- 
viour nor  our  parents  as  we  ought,  or  even 
as  we  might ! 

Mr.  Fox.  Never  forget  to  be  thankful  for 
the  privileges  and  blessings  vou  enjoy,  and 
ask  yourselves  frequendy  :  What  maketh  me 
to  differ  ?  To  what  is  it  owing  that  I  am  not 
a  slave  or  a  heathen — or  that  I  have  Christians 
ana  not  savages  for  my  parents,  but  to  the 
grace  of  God.  Thus  you  will  learn  "  to  walk 
humbly  with  your  God  and  to  love  mercy" 
m  pitying  and  praying  for  those  of  your 
brethren  in  the  world,  whether  black  or  white. 


MISSION ARV  WORTHIES.  41 

that  -dire  placed  in  a  less  fortunate  situation  in 
life  tlian  what  you  enjoy.  Still,  whether  a 
man  be  a  bond-slave  or  a  freeman,  it  is  gospel 
salvation  only  when  truly  enjoyed,  that  renders 
man,  woman,  or  child,  contented  and  happy, 
whatever  be  the  advantages  or  disadvantages 
in  life,  as  the  following  anecdote  will  prove. 
Two  boys  living  on  the  same  plantation  always 
appeared  cheerful,  very  industrious  and  expert 
at  their  work.  One  of  them  espying  Mr. 
Ronner  afar  off,  ran  towards  him  with  great 
joy,  and  on  being  asked  whether  he  often 
called  to  mind  what  the  Saviour  had  done  and 
suffered  for  him,  whether  he  loved  him,  and 
would  give  him  his  whole  heart,  replied 
with  a  remarkably  cheerful  countenance  :  "  O 
yes  !  I  always  think  of  our  Saviour,  and  love 
him  very  much,  else  I  could  not  be  so  cheer- 
ful, and  because  he  loves  me  so,  I  will  also 
give  him  my  whole  heart." 

A  girl  of  13,  related  to  Mrs.  Ronner,  that 
her  wicked  hf-art  had  latterly  been  a  great 
plague  to  her,  and  had  urged  her  to  steal  her 
father's  dinner  ;  but  that  her  good  heart  had 
on  the  contrary  told  her  to  let  it  alone,  because 
she  would  thereby  grieve  the  Saviour  ;  that 
d2 


42  ANECDOTES  OF 

finally  she  gave  way  to  the  suggestions  of  her 
good  heart,  in  order  not  to  offend  that  Saviour 
who  had  loved  her  so  much.  The  wicked- 
ness of  her  heart  was  often  so  great,  that  she 
could  not  get  the  better  of  it.  In  this  distress 
she  would  cry  to  the  Lord,  and  find  rest,  and 
the  wicked  thoughts  would  leave  her  again. 
But  whenever  she  would  be  disobedient  or 
obstinate,  her  heart  would  get  very  restless. — 
She  lamented  withal,  that  she  seldom  found 
an  opportunity  to  go  to  church.  Mrs.  Ronner 
laboured  to  impress  her  mind  with  a  correct 
idea  of  the  corruption  of  the  human  heart, 
and  the  effects  produced  on  it  by  Divine 
grace.  She  exhorted  her  to  give  her  whole 
heart  to  the  Saviour,  that  he  might  wash  it 
from  sins  in  his  blood,  and  set  it  at  liberty  so 
as  no  more  to  be  under  the  power  of  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh. 

Emma.  Such  advice,  father,  you  have  often 
given  to  us,  and  I  own,  that  if  I  always  acted 
up  to  it,  I  would  be  a  much  better  and  happiei 
child  than  I  now  am. 

Mr.  Fox.  The  candid  confessions  of  this 
negro  girl  will  show  >■.  u,  how,  when  the  voice 
of  conscience  is   heard,  the   thoughts  accus« 


mSSIOJfARY  WORTHIES.  43 

or  else  excuse  one  another,  and  how  the  flesh 
kisteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against 
tlie  flesh,  as  St.  Paul  describes  the  conflict 
between  sin  and  holiness  in  the  human  heart. 
The  safest  way  for  you  to  obtain  the  victory 
over  the  corruptions  of  your  heart,  is  to  have 
recourse  to  prayer,  and  then  Christ's  strength 
will  be  made  perfect  in  your  weakness. 
Mr.  Ronner  relates  in  his  journal,  that  a 
certain  negro  child  never  rose  in  the  morning, 
nor  went  to  bed  in  the  evening,  without  pray 
ing  to  the  Saviour  that  he  would  protect  hei 
little  soul  against  all  danger,  and  save  her  from 
levity  and  indifference.  And  for  her  parents 
too  she  would  pray,  if  they  had  been  unjustly 
severe  to  her.  Let  me  entreat  you,  my  dear 
children,  to  go  and  do  likewise — so  that 
while  you  pray  for  yourselves,  you  always 
pray  for  those  that  are  near  and  dear  to  you, 
yea  for  all  your  fellow  sinners,  as  members 
of  the  same  family  vith  yourselves  ;  for  "  God 
hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men 
for  to  dwell  on  all  the  earth,"  and  "  he 
is  no  respecter  of  persons  ;  but  in  every  na 
tion  he  that  feareth  him  and  worketh  righte* 
nusness  is  accepted  with  him." 


44  ANECDOTES   Of 


COXVERSATION  III. 

Edwin.  Come,  father,  and  please  tell  us 
some  further  particulars  about  that  dear  servant 
of  Christ,  wlio  was  such  a  friend  to  the  co- 
loured children. 

Mr.  Fox.  I  am  sorry  that  my  autlior  gives 
us  no  farther  information  concerning  Mr. 
Ronner,  than  what  I  related  in  substance  at 
our  last  interview.  Yet  if  you  are  not  tired 
of  hearing,  I  will  give  you  some  interesting 
anecdotes  about  Lewis  Christopher  Behne,  a 
Moravian  missionary,  who  laboured  about  30 
years  among  the  natives  in  the  provinces  of 
Surinam  and  Berbice  in  South  America. 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  45 

Emma.  Indeed  it  will  be  gratifying  and,  1 
fKjpe,  profitable  to  us,  to  listen  to  any  account 
that  you  may  think  proper  to  give  us  of  any 
missionary  worthies. 

Mr.  Fox.  September  12th,  1738,  Lewis 
Christopher  Dehne  entered  the  missionary 
lield,  when  he  landed  on  that  day  in  the  province 
of  Rio  de  Berbice.  He»  he  laboured  with 
various  success  and  diffe  ent  assistants,  until 
the  year  1755,  paying  several  visits  to  his 
native  country  during  this  time,  when  we  find 
him,  according  to  his  own  account,  engaged 
in  the  commencement  of  Ephrem,  a  new  mis- 
sionary station  on  the  river  Corentyn  in  Suri- 
nam. Happening  to  have  a  manuscript  trans- 
lation of  the  most  interesting  events  of  his 
life,  as  recorded  by  himself,  in  my  possession, 
I  will  read  it  to  you  in  his  own  unvarnished 
style. 

Edwin.  Do,  father !  I  shall  pay  parti- 
cular attention. 

Mr.  Fox.  [re^ds.]  "  A  number  of  Indians 
had  come  from  Berbice  to  settle  themselves 
in  Surinam,  several  of  them  moved  with  me 
to  Ephrem,  and  assisted  me   in   clearing  the 


46  ANECDOTES   OF 

spot  \n6  building  a  hut ;  yet  in  a  short  lime 
they  all  left  me  but  one,  whose  name  was 
Christopher.  He  was  soon  after  taken  ill, 
t(^hen  the  Indians,  and  their  sorcerers  in  par- 
ticular, passing  by  our  place,  said  to  him  : 
'  You  will  never  recover  while  you  stay  with 
this  white  man,  for  the  devil  has  too  much 
power  over  him,  and  you  will  see  that  the 
while  man  himself  will  get  sick  at  last.' 
On  his  partial  restoration  Christopher  also  left 
me.  Yet  our  Saviour  comforted  me  so  effec 
tually  in  this  wilderness  by  his  presence,  that 
I  was  very  happy  notwithstanding  my  solitary 
situation.  Indians,  coming  to  see  me,  would 
often  inquire  the  reason  of  my  building  a 
house  here  ;  they  thought  that  I  must  surely 
have  done  it  by  order  from  the  governor.  I 
repeatedly  informed  them  of  the  true  object  of 
my  mi^sion  ;  but  they  told  me  the  Indians  were 
going  lo  murder  me.  Even  the  soldiers  at  the 
nearest  military  post  invited  me  to  come  over  to 
their,  for  security.  I  prayed  to  the  Lord  lo 
airec  me  what  I  should  do,  and  he  gave  me 
faith  and  perseverance,  to  endure  hardness  as 
a  good  soldier  of  Jesus,  by  remaining  at  my 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  47 

post,  relying  on  his  gracious  assistance.  One 
evening,  as  1  was  about  to  retire  to  rest,  a  ser- 
pent, of  considerable  length,  dropped  down 
upon  me  from  the  rafters  of  the  roof,  coiled 
itself  two  or  three  times  around  my  neck  and 
head,  and  threatened  to  suffocate  me.  Ex- 
pecting nothing  else  but  death,  I  wrote  the 
occasion  of  it  with  chalk  upon  my  table,  for 
the  information  of  my  brethren,  that  no  sus- 
picion might  rest  on  the  Indians  as  having 
perpetrated  the  deed.  At  that  instant  it  oc- 
curred to  me,  to  make  an  attempt,  in  firm  re- 
Dance  on  the  word  of  the  Lord,  to  dislodge 
the  serpent,  which  I  did  with  such  rapidity, 
that  a  portion  of  the  skin  of  my  face  came 
along  with  it.  It  being  dark,  I  could  not  see 
what  became  of  the  serpent ;  still  I  retired  to 
rest  in  my  hammock." 

Edwin.  O  how  I  trembled  for  the  fate  of 
the  good  man  !  I  surely  thought  he  would 
have  been  strangled  by  the  reptile. 

Emma.  I  wonder  what  promise  of  Scrip- 
ture was  impressed  on  his  memory,  that 
gave  him  such  presence  of  mind  and  heroic 
courage ;     don't   you    think^    father,    it   was 


48  ANECDOTES   OP 

that  declaration  our  Lord  made,  jnst  before 
his  ascension  into  heaven  :  (Mark  xvi.  17,  18.) 
"These  signs  shall  follow  them  thai  believe — 
they  shall  take  up  serpents,  and  if  they  drink 
any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them  ;  they 
shall  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  shall  re- 
cover." 

Mr.  Fox.  It  is  as  likely  as  not ;  or  perhaps 
it  was  that  encouraging  promise,  which  Edwin 
lately  recited :  (Ps.  1.  15.)  "  Call  upon  me  m 
the  day  of  trouble  ;  /  will  deliver  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  glorify  me  !"  Whichever  text  it 
was,  it  was  neither  a  knowledge  of  every 
promise  of  the  scriptures,  if  even  his  mind 
could  have  grasped  the  whole  of  them,  nor  a 
fortunate  coincidence  of  circumstances  as  some 
might  suppose,  nor  the  good  man's  presence 
of  mind,  but  his  simple  yet  strong  rehance 
on  the  stronger,  yea  the  almighty  saving 
power  of  the  Saviour,  who  had  sent  him  to 
this  post  to  do  his  will,  tha  in  this  instance 
effected  his  almost  miraculous  deliverance  from 
the  merciless  folds  and  fangs  of  the  reptile. 
Yet  while  he  trusted  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
tnd  prayed   for   deliverance,  he  never  forgot 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  49 

to  use  such  means  of  precaution  and  defence 
as  happened  to  be  within  his  reach,  or  his 
reason  suggested  to  him  as  being  the  mosi 
proper.  This  evidently  appears  in  what  fol- 
lows in  his  interesting  narrative.  *•  A.  tiffei 
also  prowled  around  my  hut  for  some  time 
whose  cry  I  heard  every  evening.  Knowing 
that  such  animals  dread  the  sight  of  fire,  I 
lighted  up  one  in  my  hut ;  during  the  night 
however  it  would  frequendy  go  out ;  still  T 
was  not  afraid  of  this  ferocious  beast,  and  it 
never  molested  me." 

Edwin.  Oh  what  a  trial  it  must  be  to  live 
alone  in  a  dreary  wilderness,  and  to  have  none 
but  savages  and  wild  beasts  for  one's  neigh- 
bours. 

Mr.  Fox.  Such  men  truly  bear  the  cross 
of  Christ ;  yet  they  bear  it  not  alone — Jesus 
bears  it  with  them  -for  "  in  all  their  afflictions 
he  is  afflicted  ;"  he  sweetens  their  bitterest 
cup  by  the  comforts  of  his  divine  presence — 
and  the  best  consolation  comes  last,  when 
"  heaven  shall  make  amends  for  all"  and 
"  they  shall  see  him  as  he  is." — Tigers  are 
beasts  which  few  men  like  to  encounter, — 
out  human  tigers,  savages,  thirsting  for  the 
E 


50  AXECDOTES  OF 

blood  of  their  fellow-men,  are  truly  dreadfu^ 
and  such  as  an  unsuspecting,  solitary  indivi- 
dual, without  weapons  of  self-defence,  is  hardly- 
able  to  cope  with.  Yet  He  that  stopped  the 
mouths  of  lions  and  of  tigers,  is  also  able  to 
irrest  the  hand  of  the  savage  murderer,  and  to 
change  the  rage  of  the  human  lion  into  the 
gentleness  of  the  harmless  lamb.  Let  us  go 
on  with  Mr.  Dehne's  memoirs,  and  we  shall 
find  the  truth  of  these  remarks  shown  by  the 
following  facts  which  he  relates. 

"  In  Nov.  1757,  the  Carribbee  Indians  set 
out  with  the  intention  of  executing  their  reso- 
lution, long  since  determined  upon,  of  mur- 
dering me.  One  day,  while  I  sat  at  my 
dinner  table,  I  saw  fifty  men  approacliing 
in  their  canoes,  who  presently  after  surrounded 
my  cabin.  Oli  what  a  dreadful  sight  pre- 
sented itself  to  my  view.  Some  were 
armed  with  iron  hoes  ana  mattocks  ;  others 
carried  swords,  and  such  like  instruuients. 
Going  out  to  them,  I  spoke  to  iliem  in  the 
Arawak  language,  and  bid  them  welcome  in  a 
friendly  manner.  Tliey  answered  roughly 
that  I  should  speak  the  Carribbee  tongue.  In 
the  mean  time  I  took  care  to  observe  which  of 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  51 

them  was  their  commander.  Perceiving  that 
1  did  not  understand  the  Carribbee,  after  some 
consultation  in  this  language,  they  ordered 
their  interpreter  to  step  forth  and  ask  me  in 
Arawak  :  "  Who  gave  you  permission  to  build 
and  to  live  here  ?"  Ans.  "  The  governor." 
"Why  have  you  come  upon  our  land  ?"  I 
now  stepped  up  to  the  chief,  and  thus  frankly 
addressed  him  :  "  I  have  brethren  living  on 
the  other  side  of  the  ocean,  who,  when  they 
heard  that  Indians  lived  here,  who  were  igno- 
rant of  their  Creator,  have  sent  me  to  you 
in  love,  that  I  should  first  learn  your  lan- 
guage, and  then  tell  you  about  the  true  God. 
At  some  future  time,  you  may  expect  to  see 
more  of  my  brethren  come  hither  on  the 
same  errand."  "  I  suppose  you  are  a  Spa- 
niard ?"  "  No  !"  "  Or  a  Frenchman  T '  "  No  !" 
*'  Are  you  a  Dutchman,  then  ?"  "  Yes,  I 
come  from  Holland,  and  a  good  way  further 
off.  In  short,  I  am  one  of  the  Brethren  thai 
love  you  and  live  on  the  other  side  of  the 
ocean." — "Well,  didn't  you  hear  that  the 
Indians  were  going  to  kill  you?"  ^' Yes,  but  I 
did  not  believe  it,  and  you  have  those  among 
you,  who  have  been  to  see  me,  ana   know 


62  ANECDOTES  OF 

that  I  love  them." — "  That  is  tme  ;  and 
they  have  also  told  me  that  you  were  a 
Christian  very  diflerent  from  other  white  peo- 
},le."  "  Well,  if  you  knew  that  I  loved  you^ 
how  could  you  think  of  killing  me  ?" — He 
replied  laughing :  "  AVell,  indeed,  I  never 
thought  of  that  !"  Upon  this,  all  changed 
their  savage  features  and  walked  off.  The 
chief  only  staid  with  me,  and  put  a  number 
of  questions  to  which  I  gave  suitable  replies  ; 
and  when  I  told  him  that  no  other  white  people 
but  Brethren  would  move  hither,  lie  became 
quite  sociable.  On  leaving  me,  he  gave  me 
some  of  his  provision  at  my  request,  promis- 
ing to  repeat  his  visits.  In  this  manner,  the 
Saviour  helped  me  on  from  day  to  day,  in- 
somuch, that  at  the  close  of  the  year,  I  found 
much  cause  for  praise  and  thankfulness  to  the 
giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift.  In  the 
strength  of  my  confidence  in  Him  I  entered 
upon  the  year  1758.  I  was  busily  employed  in 
cutting  down  trees,  and  if  I  found  the  labour 
too  severe,  I  applied  to  Indians  passing  by 
for  assistance,  w^hich  was  rarely  refused. 
One  day,  while  collecting  wood  for  fuel,  I 
was  stung  in  the  left  hand  by  an  ant,  which 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  53 

occasioned  such  violent  pain,  that  I  nearly 
lost  all  power  of  recollection.  This  ant  was 
one  of  the  large  black  kind,  one  incn  in 
length,  the  bite  of  which  the  Indians  dread 
as  much  as  they  do  that  of  serpents. 

During  this  period  I  suffered  much  out- 
ward distress,  and  often  I  rose  in  the  morn- 
ing without  knowing  what  I  should  eat,  or 
where  I  should  procure  food.  Yet,  whenever 
I  was  perfectly  destitute,  undoubtedly  accord- 
ing to  the  direction  of  Him  who  fed  Elijah  at 
the  brook  Cherith,  Waraus,  or  other  Indians, 
came  and  shared  their  cassavi  with  me. 

Edwin.  What  is  meant  by  cassavi,  father? 

Mr.  Fox.  The  daily  bread  of  the  natives 
and  negroes.  The  cassavi  plant  (Jatropha 
Manihot)  is  wholly  indispensable  in  those 
provinces,  as  well  as  throughout  the  West 
India  Islands.  The  straight  stem  of  this 
plant  is  abo\'e  six  feet  high,  and  of  a  whitish 
colour.  Around  the  stalk  the  whole  length 
of  the  plant,  there  are  single  leaves  attached 
to  long  stems,  which  fall  off  by  de^-rees,  and 
only  the  uppermost  around  the  top  remain. 
They  leave  knots  in  those  places  around  the 
stem  to  which  they  were  affixed,  wh  ch  gives 

£2 


54  ANECDOTES  OF 

the  whole  plant  a  very  ornamental  appearance. 
It  IS  from  the  bulbed  or  knotty  root,  that  the 
natives  bake  their  cassavi  or  West  India 
bread.  The  colour  thereof  is  brown,  and  th 
shape  something  like  a  radish  or  parsnip. 
Some  plants  are  furnished  with  from  six  to 
ten  roots,  the  longest  being  one  foot  in  length 
and  thick  in  proportion.  Under  the  bark  they 
are  quite  white,  containing  a  white  milky 
juice.  After  the  outer  brown  bark  has  been 
scraped  off  from  the  roots,  they  are  grated, 
and  then  the  whole  mass  is  pressed  in  a  bag 
until  all  the  juice  is  extracted.  After  being 
dried  and  sifted,  it  has  the  appearance  of  fine 
white  flour,  of  which  large  flat  cakes  are 
baked  on  a  heated  iron.  While  fresh,  their 
flavour  is  excellent,  particularly  with  the  ad- 
dition of  butter ;  but  when  in  time  they 
grow  hard,  they  are  easily  softened  by 
sprinkling  water  or  wine  upon  them.  The 
fresh,  milky  juice  of  these  roots  is  a  sweet 
P'-ison,  that  occasions  swellings  and  death 
to  man  and  beast.  The  root  itself  is  as 
poisonous  as  the  juice  ;  yet  both  are  per 
fectly  divested  of  this  quality  by  fire  ;  the 
former  in  baking,  and   the  latter  in  boiling 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  55 

t  several  hours  and  diligently  skimming  it. 
By  this  process  the  root  is  converted  into 
nourishing  bread,  and  the  juice  into  a  savoury, 
wholesome  sauce,  to  be  eaten  with  fish  or  other 
meat.  The  natives  feed  upon  domestic  ani- 
mals that  have  died  in  consequence  of  eating 
the  raw  cassavi  root,  without  suffering  any 
harm.  In  a  time  of  famine,  the  leaves  of  this 
plant  are  even  converted  into  nutritious  food 
by  the  negroes  and  others,  by  bruising  and 
then  boiling  them.  Let  us  now  resume  the 
narrative. 

"  One  day  a  Warau  visited  me  with  his 
whole  family,  to  whom  I  preached  Jesus. 
Before  he  went  away,  I  requested  him  to  hew 
some  trees  for  me,  and  by  way  of  reward, 
I  promised  him  a  part  of  the  fruit  of  these 
trees.  He  immediately  set  about  the  work; 
but  in  the  act  of  felling  the  second  tree,  he 
was  bit  so  severely  by  the  great  ants,  that 
he  dropped  down  like  a  dead  man.  In  this 
perplexity,  I  cried  to  the  Lord  to  restore 
him  ;  for  if  the  man  had  died,  it  woidd  have 
greatly  prejudiced  the  Indians  against  me. 
I  then  laid  some  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  on 
ch«  M  ounded  part,  md  behold  '  in  a  short  time 


56  AiVECDOTES  OF 

he  was  restored.  Soon  after  this  event,  seve 
ral  baptized  Indians  visited  me,  who  resided 
on  the  river  Mepenna.  I  represented  to  them 
their  duty,  to  lend  me  a  helping  hand,  since 
I  had  established  myself  in  this  place  on 
their  account,  and  now  stood  in  need  of  their 
assistance.  Hosea,  their  leader,  replied  : 
"  Brother  !  you  are  right ;  we  will  atone  for 
our  fault ;  in  a  few  days  I  will  come  with  se- 
veral others  to  your  assistance.  1  will  also 
lay  out  a  banana  garden  behind  your  pre- 
mises, that  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  I  may  be 
able  to  stay  longer."  I  was  much  gratified 
subsequendy  on  finding  that  they  were  as 
good  as  tlieir  word.  Even  unbaptized  In- 
dians commenced  cutting  wood  and  planting 
vegetables  here. 

"  So  far  I  had  enjoyed  excellent  health ; 
but  at  length  I  sunk  under  the  burden  of  exces- 
sive labour,  and  was  taken  ill.  I  wrote  to  the 
Brethren  in  Berbice,  requesting  them  to  send 
Brother  Bambey  hither  on  a  visit.  He  imme- 
diately on  the  receipt  of  the  letter,  started  for 
the  Mepenna,  intending  to  travel  from  thence 
by  water,  yet  he  Jbund  great  difficulty  in  pro- 
curing an  Indian  guide,  because  the  natives 


MISSION ARY  WORTHIES.  57 

drs'.aded  going  to  a  sick  man  and  more  espe- 
cially to  me,  believing  the  devil  dwelt  with 
me.  Brother  Bambey,  however,  at  length 
prevailed  on  them  to  assist  him,  and  on  his 
arHval  staid  with  me  one  week.  In  all  my 
trouble  and  bodily  weakness,  my  dear  Saviour 
graciously  supported  me  and  sweetened  for 
me  every  affliction.  After  having  been  two 
years  alone  on  this  station,  four  Brethren 
unexpectedly  arrived  here,  in  the  year  1759  ; 
two  of  them  came  to  take  charge  of  the  sta- 
tion, and  with  the  other  two  I  moved  to  Sha- 
ron. 

One  Sunday,  being  January  25th,  1764, 
while  walking  abroad  some  distance  from  our 
dwelling  with  one  of  the  brethren,  we  heard 
the  report  of  a  number  of  firearms,  which  we 
could  not  account  for.  We  therefore  hastened 
back  to  the  house  to  sf  e  what  was  the  matter. 
But  before  we  reached  it.  Brother  Daniel 
Kamm  came  running  up  to  us  without  hat  or 
shoes,  and  pale  as  death,  stating  that  the  ma- 
roons or  runaway  slaves  had  surprised  the 
place,  wounded  Brother  Zander  and  set  fire  to 
our  house.  Soon  after  the  Indians  met  us, 
one  of  them  with  an  arrow  slicking  in   his 


58  ANECDOTES  OF 

back,  and  the  wound  bleeding  profusely 
They  entreated  us  not  to  repair  to  the  spot 
as  all  resistance  had  become  vain.  Brothet 
Strueby  and  myself  concluded  to  follow  them 
into  the  woods,  and  to  stay  with  them.  But 
soon  losing  the  right  course,  we  wandered 
about  the  whole  day,  while  the  rain  poured 
down  in  torrents,  so  that,  when  night  came  on, 
we  found  ourselves  on  the  same  spot  from 
which  we  had  set  out.  The  enemy  having 
left  our  premises,  we  went  in  search  of  our 
Indians,  whom  we  found.  They  then  took 
us  to  the  spot  where  our  wounded  Brother 
Odenwald  was  lying,  whose  wounds  still  re- 
mained undressed.  I  immediately  dressed  thera 
as  well  as  I  could.  It  was  a  fortunate  circum- 
stance that  we  were  furnished  with  a  hammock 
to  lay  him  in  ;  the  rest  of  us  however  lay  all 
night  on  the  wet  ground,  and  were  afraid  to 
make  up  a  fire,  for  fear  of  being  discovered  by 
the  enemy.  Next  day  Brother  Strueby  re- 
paired to  our  establishment,  and  found  every 
thing  laid  waste  and  consumed,  and  the  deadk 
bodies  of  several  Indians  lying  scattered  on 
the  ground.  We  had  intended  to  stay  with 
ur  Indian  flock;  but  Brother  Strueby,  who 


MISSIOPTARY  WORTHIES.  59 

was  to  affompany  Brother  Odenwald  back  to 
Paramaribo,  being  but  a  poor  surgeon;  we  all 
three  finally  concluded  to  go  to  that  place,  and 
comforted  our  Indians  with  the  hope  of  the 
speedy  return  of  one  of  our  number.  January 
28th  we  arrived  in  safety  at  Paramaribo,  when 
the  governor  immediately  sent  for  us,  to  obtain 
a  true  report  of  the  whole  transaction,  and 
manifested  the  liveliest  sympathy  with  our 
fate. 

But  as  it  is  growing  late,  I  think  it  quite  time 
to  conclude  our  conversation. 

Emma.  One  question  more,  father.  Do  you 
know  what  became  of  good  Mr.  Dehne  at 
last,  whose  narrative  has  so  deeply  interested 
us  for  his  welfare  ? 

Mr.  Fox.  He  departed  this  life  at  Zeyst  in 
Holland,  aged  fifty-five  years  and  two  months, 
of  a  quinsy  in  the  throat,  and  the  suppuration 
of  an  ulcer  in  the  lungs,  in  the  full  possession 
of  his  mental  faculties,  and  longing  to  go  home 
and  to  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord.  The  active 
life  and  peaceful  death  of  this  devoted  servant 
of  Christ,  bring  to  my  mind  the  following 
sweet  lines  of  the  poet: 


50  A\ECD01ES  OF 

Gracious  Ixard  .'    Thy  name  we  blesa. 
That  with  hope  and  thankfulness 
We  may  to  the  grave  consign 
Dust  of  friends,  w  ho  were,  Lord  I  ThiB0 

ost  Thou  beckon  those  away, 
Wliom  we'd  fain  have  longer  stay  ? 
Dost  Thou  summon  servants  home. 
Dost  Thou  bid  thy  handmaids  come? 

May  we  meekly  bow  to  Thee 
Under  each  adversity — 
Cease  from  sorrow — let  them  rest- 
Say,   the  will  of  God  is  best. 

Make  us  active,  pious,  true. 
Full  of  faith  and  patience  too, 
Willing.  Lord  I  below  to  stay. 
WUhngly  to  haste  away. 

Haste  "the  glorious  ransom  day, 
\Mien  to  ev'n,'  saint  Thou'lt  say. 
"  Well  done,  faithful  servant;  come. 
Enter  nou  thy  lastmg  home  I" 


CONA^ERS.^TION  IV. 

Mr.  Fox.  I  am  going  to  give  you  an  account, 
this  evening,  of  a  venerable  man;  who.  thoiin-h 
tollowinfif  in  his  younger  days  tlie  business  of 
a  coach-driver  ana  menial  servant,  was  called 


MISSICNARY  WORTHIES.  61 

out  from  the  world  to  become,  in  alter  lifS; 
an  eminent  instrument  in  the  hands  of  the 
Lord,  for  the  conversion  of  some  of  the  most 
stupid  and  degraded  members  of  the  great 
human  family.  In  his  case  you  will  have  oc- 
casion to  observe,  that  the  promise  of  Scripture, 
Isaiah  xlii.  16.  if  never  before,  was  in  this  in- 
stance literally  fulfilled  :  "  I  will  bring  the  blind 
by  a  way  that  they  knew  not :  I  will  lead  them 
in  paths  that  they  have  not  known  ;  I  will  make 
darkness  light  before  them,  and  crooked  things 
straight.  These  things  will  I  do  unto  them, 
and  not  forsake  them." 

Emma.  What  was  the  name  of  this  good 
and  worthy  man  ? 

Mr.  Fox.  His  name  is  John  Beck ;  he 
served  the  Lord  with  persevering  fidelity  forty- 
three  years  in  the  mission  among  the  Green- 
landers. 

Edwin.  I  think  I  have  heard  or  read  an 
account  of  this  missionary  before. 

Mr.  Fox.  His  name  is  mentioned  in  the 
"  Sketches  of  Moravian  Missions,"  where 
the  interesting  account  is  given  of  the  conver- 
sion of  the  first  Greenlander,  on  which  occa- 
sion our  Saviour  employed  Bfck  as  the  ho 
F 


62  ANECDOTES  OF 

noured  instrument  to  effect  the  purposes  of 
his  grace.  As  you  have  read  those  sketches 
with  pleasure,  and  I  think  with  profit,  I  justly 
presume  that  you  will  feel  interested  in  hear- 
ing some  further  particulars  about  this  servan 
of  Christ,  whose  early  call  into  the  way  of 
salvation,  and  subsequently  into  the  ministry, 
is  connected  with  truly  wond-erful  events. 
He  was  born  June  7th,  1706,  at  Kreuzendorf, 
a  village  in  Upper  Silesia,  in  Germany.  Hig 
grandfather,  Jacob  Beck,  a  man  holding  the 
doctrines  of  the  reformation,  had  on  that  ac- 
count to  suffer  persecution  from  his  Roman 
Catholic  fellow-citizens  to  that  degree,  that  they 
laid  him  in  irons  and  cast  him  into  prison,  where 
they  beat,  tortured,  and  detained  him  so  long, 
till  they  made  him  a  perfect  cripple,  and  he 
finally  departed  this  life.  The  missionary's 
father,  Caspar  Beck,  having  early  imbibed  the 
principles  of  evangelical  relio-ion,  no  soonei 
came  to  years  of  discretion,  than  he  sought 
and  cultivated  the  society  of  such  as  re- 
tained a  spark  of  the  Redeemer's  love  in  theii 
hearts,  and  frequendy  read  the  Bible  and 
other  religious  books  with  them.  He  him- 
self instructed  his  children,  to  the  best  of  his 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  63 

knowledge,  in  reading,  and  in  the  truths  of  the 
sacred  Scriptures,  that  they  might  be  kept  out 
of  evil  company  and  not  imbibe  false  princi- 
ples. He  placed  his  son  John  as  a  servant 
among  strangers,  and  whenever  the  boy  would 
come  home  on  a  visit,  his  father  would  give 
him  this  solemn  charge,  "  My  son  !  alway 
Bet  God  before  your  eyes,  and  it  will  be  well 
with  you  here  and  hereafter  !"  These  words 
left  a  lasting  impression  on  his  mind,  and  of- 
ten, as  he  states  in  his  biography,  written  by 
himself,  recurred  to  his  memory  in  his  lonely- 
hours.  He  further  states  there,  that  in  1726 
he  was  under  serious  convictions,  but  soon 
after  relapsed  into  his  former  unconcern  res- 
pecting his  soul's  salvation,  till  in  May,  1731, 
when  he  entered  the  service  of  Michael  Da- 
rnel, a  Roman  Catholic  priest,  in  the  capacity 
of  a  coachman. 

Being  prohibited  the  reading  of  Lutheran 
publications,  on  pain  of  a  severe  penalty,  he 
bought  a  Catholic  New  Testament  and  dili- 
gently perused  it.  Happening  to  be  alone 
one  day,  he  felt  a  secret  impulse  in  his 
heart  to  take  up  that  book  and  read  in  it 
He  opened  it  at  that  passage  Rev.  iii.  15 — 18  : 


64  ANECDOTES  OF 

*'  I  know  th}'  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold 
nor  hot ;  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So 
then,  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither 
cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spew  thee  out  of  my 
mouth :  because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich  and  in- 
creased with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing, 
and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched  and 
miserable  and  poor  and  blind  and  naked  :  I 
counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the 
fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich ;  and  white  rai- 
ment, that  thou  mayest  he  clothed,  and  that 
the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear ;  and 
anoint  thine  eyes  with  eyesalve,  that  thou  may- 
est see."  He  tells  us  in  his  narrative,  that 
as  soon  as  he  commenced  reading,  he  felt  as 
though  a  fire  burned  in  his  bones,  his  eyes 
began  to  weep,  his  heart  melted  like  wax  be- 
fore the  fire,  and  he  fell  to  the  ground  as  one 
dead.  Feeling  himself  to  be  a  slave  to  sin,  he 
thought  he  must  perish  for  ever  in  this  mise- 
rable condition.  Having  lain  on  the  floor  about 
an  hour,  writhing  like  a  worm  in  agony,  and 
oeing  just  ready  to  despair,  he  had  an  unexpect- 
ed visit  from  his  heavenly  friend  Jesus,  who 
came  and  smiled  upon  him.  That  he  was  not 
dreaming,  nor  deceived  by  Ids  own  fancy,  is 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  65 

evident  from  his  succeeding  trials.  It  seemed 
to  him,  as  he  relates,  as  though  he  saw  his  suf- 
fering God  and  Saviour,  covered  with  blood 
and  wounds,  extended  on  the  cross,  as  a  sa- 
crifice for  his  sins.  With  the  smile  of  a  friend 
and  brother,  he  seemed  to  incline  towards 
him  ;  he  comforted  him,  and  assured  him  of 
the  forgiveness  of  his  sins,  and  bid  him  rise 
and  live.  Beck  now  felt  as  though  he  had 
been  relieved  from  a  very  heavy  burden.  He 
arose  with  alight  and  cheerful  heart,  and  weep- 
ing eyes,  and  from  that  hour  became  a  witness 
of  the  grace  he  had  experienced.  Accordingly 
he  could  not  hold  his  peace,  when  his  ac- 
quaintances, observing  an  alteration  in  his  usual 
deportment,  asked  him  what  had  happened 
to  him,  to  produce  such  a  change.  His 
fellow-servant,  John  Hadwig,  returning  home 
from  the  field  that  same  evening,  he  related 
to  him  what  had  happened  during  the  day, 
which  so  powerfully  affected  him  that  he 
burst  into  tears.  Shortly  after  similar  effecis 
were  the  result  of  the  same  cause  in  an 
interview  he  had  with  his  own  youngest 
brother,  with  Hadwig's  brother  Martin,  and 
others.  This  little  company  of  awakened 
F  2 


6  ANECDOTES  OF 

Bouls,  having  no  knowledg-e  of  the  existence 
of  true  children  of  God  on  earth,  much 
less  of  the  existence  of  the  Moravian  church, 
(of  which  some  of  them  subsequendy  be- 
came members)  instituted  meetings  for  social 
worship  am.ong  themselves,  while  they  had 
the  promise  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  their 
favour :  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered 
together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the 
midst  of  them."  At  these  meetings  they 
would  pray,  relate  their  experience,  and  love 
one  another.  They  soon  became  as  a  little 
leaven  that  leaveneth  the  whole  lump.  People 
flocked  to  them,- and  testified  their  desire  to  be 
informed  concerning  the  way  of  salvation. 
The  affair  soon  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
priest,  who  did  not  long  remain  an  idle  spec- 
tator ;  he  closely  examined  Beck,  why  he  did 
not  as  heretofore  frequent  taverns  and  fashion- 
able amusements  of  the  world,  and  commanded 
him  not  to  read  any  kinn  of  books,  nor  take  a 
Lutheran  prayerbook  into  church.  He  pro- 
mised the  priest  to  comply  with  the  latter  in 
junction,  because  he  knew  he  could  pray  in 
his  heart  to  the  Lord,  which  it  was  out  of  the 
power  of  the  other  to  prevent ;  but  as  for  the 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  67 

first,  said  he,  addressing  himself  tc  the  cler- 
gyman, to  frequent  taverns,  and  riot  in  the 
manner  I  formerly  did,  is  not  only  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  command  of  God,  but  even  to  your 
own  doctrine  from  the  pulpit.  You  well  know 
my  former  scandalous  life  and  wicked  con- 
versation, but  you  never  once  reproved  me 
for  its  impropriety  ;  whence  comes  it  that 
now,  since  I  endeavour  to  obey  the  truth,  you 
are  dissatisfied  with  me  ?  He  replied  :  "  I  see 
you  are  in  the  right  way ;  but  people  give  me 
so  much  trouble  on  your  account,  that  I  am 
quite  tired  of  it.  Indeed,  if  I  should  live 
up  to  the  requisitions  of  the  Bible,  V  should 
most  assuredly  be  put  out  of  office,"  &c. 
After  a  long  conversation  they  parted,  appa- 
rently in  mutual  good  understanding  and  friend- 
ship. The  work  of  God  continuing  to  spread, 
until  almost  two  entire  villages  were  stirred 
lip  by  the  faithful  testimony  of  these  young 
converts,  the  enemy  became  enraged  thereby, 
and  by  craft  as  well  as  force  sought  to  quench 
the  spark  of  love  which  had  been  kindled 
in  their  hearts.  In  April  1732  one  hundred 
or  more  of  these  people  were  summoned 
tc  appear  before  a  court  of  inquiry,  in  the 


•J8  ANECDOTES  OF 

uastle  of  Suppaii,  consisting  <  f  bishops 
priests,  magistrates,  and  lawyers.  Beck  being 
of  course,  included  in  the  summons,  first  took 
an  affectionate  and  final  leave  of  his  friends, 
although  none  of  them  could  believe  him, 
when  he  asserted  that  they  would  see  his  face 
no  more;  and  then  took  his  priest,  who  was 
considered  an  indispensable  witness  at  the 
castle,  to  that  place  in  his  carriage.  The 
above  named  converts  had  their  trial  first ;  when, 
by  promises  and  threats,  they  were  all,  through 
the  fear  of  man.  persuaded  to  recant.  In  the 
evening  Martin  Hadwig,  who  had  been  a  close 
prisoner'  for  several  days,  was  called  to  the 
bar ;  but  he  remained  firm,  and  made  a  bold 
confession  of  the  truth.  About  10  o'clock 
Beck  was  finally  summoned  before  the  com- 
missioners, when  for  three  hours  together  he 
was  qfestioned  by  them  concerning  the  trans- 
actions of  the  past  year,  and  the  whole  of  this 
time  felt  so  much  cheered  by  the  presence  of 
his  Master,  and  his  heart  and  lips  so  uncom- 
monly ready  for  utterance,  as  to  convince  him 
most  sensibly  of  the  truth  of  our  Lord's  saying. 
Matt.  X.  19.  "  Wnen  they  deliver  you  up, 
take  no  thought  how  or  what  ye  shall  speak 


MISSIOXARY  WORTHIES.  69 

for  it  shall  be  given  you  in  that  same  hour  what 
ye  shall  speak."  About  one  o'clock  at  night, 
when  they  had  filled  three  sheets  of  paper  with 
his  depositions,  on  witnessing  his  cheerful- 
ness they  ordered  the  constables  to  chain 
him,  to  throw  him  into  a  dungeon  and  not  to 
take  him  out  from  thence  till  he  had  fallen  a 
prey  to  worms.  His  priest  then  rose  up,  took 
him  aside,  spoke  very  kindly  to  him,  and  beg- 
ged him  to  promise,  that  he  would  live  as  he 
had  formerly  done  ;  telling  him,  that  he  was 
still  at  liberty  to  entertain  his  private  opinion, 
and  that  he  would  never  throw  any  obstacles 
in  his  way.  "  Pray,  take  care,  added  he,  that 
I  and  you  may  not  both  be  utterly  ruined." 
Beck  replied  in  presence  of  the  whole  assem- 
bly :  "  I  cannot,  neither  will  I  suffer  myself 
to  be  diverted  from  my  opinions  just  given 
you."  The  constables  then  brought  in  the 
irons,  and  with  great  trembling,  chained  him 
hand  and  foot ;  some  of  them  even  bewailed 
his  fate  with  tears,  because  they  knew  that  he 
was  cast  into  prison  without  a  just  cause. 
His  sentence  being  pronounced,  that  he  should 
be  cast  into  a  dark  hole  under  the  walls  of  the 
castle,  some  of  his  fellow-coachmen  ran   on 


70  ANECDOTES  OF 

before,  and  liirew  some  straw  and  hay  into  the 
dungeon,  that  he  might  not  be  chilled  by  the 
cold  and  damp  ground.  He  accordingly  en- 
tered with  a  cheerful  and  courageous  heart,  and 
enjoying  the  Saviour's  presence  in  the  most 
powerful  manner  during  the  night,  he  felt  as 
happy  there  as  though  he  had  entered  the 
courts  of  heaven  itself. 

Emma.  I  can  no  longer  contain  my  sur- 
prise and  indignation  at  the  unjust  and  cruel 
treatment  which  this  man  met  with.  And 
after  all,  to  be  as  happy  in  a  dungeon,  as 
though  he  had  been  in  paradise  itself,  is  what 
I  cannot  account  for. 

Edwin.  I  think,  father,  I  should  have  wept 
my  eyes  almost  out,  if  they  had  put  me  into 
such  a  place,  without  the  least  shadow  of  jus- 
tice. 

Mr.  Fox.  The  principles  upon  which  Beck, 
and  a  host  of  similar  worthy  confessors  acted, 
you  see,  were  of  the  purely  evangelical  and 
self-denying  kind ;  they  would  sooner  part 
with  an  eye  or  limb,  or,  if  required,  with  life, 
for  the  sake  of  the  gospel,  than,  by  denying 
their  Master  and  his  cause,  purchase  exemp- 
on  from  a  threatened  penalty,  and  finally  be 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  71 

cnst  soul  and  body  into  hell.  And  as  Jesus, 
while  suffering  for  sinners,  was  not  left  alone, 
but  the  Father  was  with  him  to  uphold  and 
comlort  him,  so  sinners,  saved  by  grace,  while 
sutlering  for  their  Redeemer  and  his  cause, 
enjoy  his  presence  and  support,  in  a  manner 
similar  to  what  this  worthy  confessor  did.  He 
and  his  fellow-prisoner,  Martin  Hadwig,  were 
daily  compelled  to  shift  their  quarters,  whilst 
the  former  invariably  received  the  worst  treat- 
ment. Whenever  he  was  permitted  to  be  in 
the  room  to  which  all  his  adversaries  had  free 
access,  he  was  sure  to  be  laid  in  the  stocks  at 
night.  He  was  often  beaten  with  a  stick, 
stabbed  with  a  sword,  and  treated  in  the  most 
barbarous  manner,  particularly  when,  in  reply 
to  their  reproachful  inquiries,  he  either  gave 
them  a  pointed  answer,  or  held  his  peace. 
Receiving  but  a  few  morsels  of  bread  and  a 
little  water  daily,  he  began  to  feel  very  hun- 
gry Being  again  put  into  the  dungeon,  into 
which  a  person  could  scarcely  creep,  through 
a  little  door,  which  had  a  small  hole  in  it,  just 
large  enough  to  admit  a  hand,  he  met  with  the 
following  incident.  The  dungeon  being  close 
to  the  street,  one  who  was  a  perfect  stranger 


72  ANECDOTES  OF 

to  him,  addr<3ssed  a  long  speech  to  him,  the 
meaning  of  which,  however.  Beck  could  not 
comprehend,  not  understanding  the  language 
spoken  by  the  stranger.  Finding  that  the  pri- 
soner was  incapable  of  answering  his  questions, 
he  thrust  a  long  slice  of  bread  through  the 
opening  in  the  door,  and  then  left  him,  and 
went  his  way.  Thus,  through  the  wonderful 
goodness  of  God,  were  his  faithful  servant's 
most  pressing  wants  relieved,  his  faith  and 
dependance  upon  the  providential  care  of  his 
Saviour  strengthened,  and  a  prelude  given  to 
that  yet  more  remarkable  deliverance  from  the 
hands  of  his  enemies,  which  he  some  time 
after  experienced. 

Emma.  Truly,  I  see  that  nothing  is  impos 
sible  with  God,  and  that  he  keeps  his  saints  as 
the  apple  of  his  eye. 

Edivin.  How  did  the  good  man  at  last  es- 
cape ? 

Mr.  Fox.  At  one  time,  in  the  act  of  being  let 
out  of  his  dungeon,  on  looking  at  his  feet,  he 
perceived  to  his  great  surprise,  that  the  pad- 
lock attached  to  his  right  leg  had  opened  of 
itself.  Fearing,  however,  that  the  jailer  might 
charge  him  with  liaving  burst  it  open,  and 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  7i< 

would  for  that  reason  order  him  to  be  beaten, 
he  stooped  down,  unnoticed  by  the  other,  and 
closed  it  again.  Yet  he  immediately  considered 
this  circumstance  as  a  token  of  his  speedy  de 
liverance. 

Some  days  after,  on  the  1st  of  May,  1732, 
the  lords  commissioners  once  more  assembled 
for  the  examination  of  their  prisoners.  It  being 
St.  Philip  and  St.  James'  day,  they  all  went 
to  church  to  hear  mass  and  a  sermon.  During 
their  absence,  Martin  Hadwig,  being  at  that 
time  in  the  room,  attended  by  a  guard,  re- 
quested permission  of  him  to  go  down  stairs. 
The  guard,  knowing  him  to  be  closely  fettered, 
suffered  him  to  go,  while  he  staid  in  the  room 
smoking  his  pipe.  By  the  by,  it  must  be  re- 
membered, that  both  prisoners,  just  about  that 
time,  had  been  relieved  from  the  irons  fastened 
to  their  hands.  Hadwig,  passing  by  Beck's 
dungeon,  stopped  and  inquired  through  the 
small  opening  in  the  door,  how  he  did  ?  He 
replied ;  "  I  think  we  are  this  day  to  leave  the 
prison  !"  "  What!"  exclaimed  Hadwig,  "  we 
are  both  chained  at  our  feet — the  doors  are  all 
bolted — my  guard  is  sitting  up  stairs ;  and 
besides  all  this,  here  is  a  large  padlock, 
G 


•74  A.VECDOTKS  OF 

of  the  size  of  a  man's  fist."  Beck  replied 
"No  matter  for  that ;  I  had  an  impression  las) 
night,  that  we  should  this  day  escape  out  of 
prison ;  and  I  am  still  of  the  same  opinion. 
Do  you  just  try  whether  you  can't  force  open 
the  padlock  with  your  hands ;  for  then  the 
work  will  soon  be  accomplished."  He  dia 
so,  and  happily  succeeded  in  opening  it.  Beck 
then  said  :  '•  Well  brother,  now  come  down 
to  me,  take  your  seat,  and  let  me  try  whether 
I  can't  draw  your  boots,  chains  and  all,  from 
your  feet.  He  made  the  attempt,  and  after 
much  ado,  succeeded  in  it.  Hadwig  next  dia 
the  same  to  his  friend,  and  although  the  skin 
came  off  with  the  boots,  still  they  Mere 
rid  of  their  irons.  They  threw  the  fetters  into 
the  dungeon,  took  the  boots  into  their  hands, 
and  crept  out  of  the  hole.  Now  they  were 
indeed  delivered  from  their  fetters  and  close 
confinement;  but  the  gates  were  locked,  and 
both  yard  and  castle  were  surrounded  by  a 
wall  several  cubits  in  heisfht,  so  that  a  further 
escape  from  these  dismal  premises  seemed 
wholly  impossible.  At  this  moment  they  disco- 
vered that  some  carpenters  wlio  had  been  at 
work  atone  pldce,  had  there  piled  up  thechipp 


MlSSIOiVARY  WORTHIES.  71 

ugainst  the  wall.  They  mounted  this  pile,  an^ 
wi*h  much  exertion  got  to  the  top  of  the  wall 
from  which  they  leaped  down  into  the  miry 
ditch.  During  all  this  time,  a  litde  girl  had 
been  watching  their  motions.  As  they  passed 
her,  Beck  said  to  her  :  "  if  you  will  hold  your 
tongue,  I  will  give  you  a  piece  of  gingerbread 
on  our  return."  No  sooner,  however,  did  she 
see  them  leaping  from  the  wall,  than  she  ran 
and  told  the  guard  of  their  elopement.  He 
immediately  hurried  to  the  church  to  give 
the  alarm,  when  instandy,  on  receiving  the 
news,  the  congregation  broke  up.  A  number 
of  their  enemies  mounted  their  horses,  and 
taking  their  greyhounds  with  them,  went  at  full 
speed,  in  pursuit  of  the  poor  prisoners. 

Echvin.  Oh,  how  I  feel  for  these  innocent 
sufferers  !  After  their  hair-breadth  escape  from 
the  walls  of  their  horrid  dungeon,  I  can't  see 
how  they  could  a  second  time  escape  their 
mortal  enemies,  who  were  pursuing  them 
with  the  swiftness  of  an  eagle. 

Mr.  Fox.  What  David  said  concerning  his 
own  experience,  when  the  Lord  delivered  him 
from  the  hand  of  all  his  cLemies,  and  from  the 
hand  of  the  implacable  Saul,  these  men  of  God 


76  AiVECDOTES  OF 

could  apply  to  their  case,  when  they  finally 
v3ame  to  a  place  of  safety.  (Ps.  xviii.  16 — 19. _) 
*'  He  sent  from  above,  he  took  me,  he  drew  me 
out  of  many  waters  ;  He  delivered  me  from  my 
strong  enemy,  and  from  them  which  hated 
me  ;  for  they  were  too  strong  for  me.  They 
prevented  me  in  the  day  of  my  calamity ;  but 
the  Lord  was  my  stay.  He  brought  me  forth 
also  into  a  large  place  ;  he  delivered  me,  be- 
cause he  delighted  in  me."  Those  hounds, 
which  the  enemy  calculated  should  seal  their 
destruction,  eventually  were  made  instrumental 
in  facilitating  and  completing  their  escape. 
A.fter  they  had  left  the  prison,  and  had  run  about 
two  miles,  they  entered  a  forest;  when,  looking 
back,  they  beheld  their  pursuers  almost  at  their 
heels.  Fortunately  for  them,  however,  a  man 
was  travelling  along  the  road  from  Jagerndorf, 
and  having  passed  him,  they  altered  their 
course,  and  struck  into  the  woods  on  their  left. 
This  man  was  presently  attacked  by  the 
hounds,  by  which  means  they  gained  upon 
their  enemies  in  the  new  course  they  had  enter- 
ed upon.  Tlie  hounds  then  quitting  the  man, 
followed  his  track  in  the  road,  the  hor.«!emeu 
galloping  after  them 


MISSIOXARY   WORTHIES.  77 

Emma.  Well,  this  was,  indeed,  a  wonderful 
escape.  I  think  if  I  had  been  in  a  case  like 
this,  I  would  never  have  forgotten  such  signal 
deliverance. 

Mr.  Fox.  Nor  did  Beck  and  his  companion. 
He  remarks  in  his  narrative  :  "  with  what 
praise  and  gratitude  we  spent  the  day,  and 
how  happ)  we  felt  in  our  minds,  I  shall  never 
forget  all  the  days  of  my  life."  And  ever 
after,  to  the  last  year  of  his  life,  it  was  his 
legular  custom  to  celebrate  the  anniversary  of 
his  miraculous  escape  and  delivery,  as  a  day 
of  public,  as  well  as  private  thanksgiving  to 
the  Lord  among  his  brethren. 

Crantz,  in  his  history  of  the  Greenland  mis- 
sion of  the  United  Brethren,  makes  mention 
of  the  celebration  of  one  of  these  anniversaries, 
in  the  following  words  : 

"  When  the  missionary  Beck,  on  his  me- 
morial day,  (May  1,  1762,)  called  to  mind 
(in  the  presence  of  the  Greenland  congrega- 
tion.) how  thirty  years  ago  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  had  de'ivered  him  in  a  miraculous  man- 
ner out  of  prison,  where  he  had  suffered  bonds 
for  tlie  sake  of  the  gospel — how  he  had  safely 
conducted  him  to  the  church  at  Herrnhut  (the 
G  2 


78  A\ECDOTES  OF 

very  name  of  which  he  had  never  heaid  till 
then,) — and  how  he  was  subsequently  sent 
by  this  church  to  Greenland,  where  he  had 
now  the  pleasure  to  see  two  congregations 
of  heathen  converts  established,  he  fell  on  his 
knees  with  his  hearers,  and  returned  thanks 
unto  the  Lord  for  all  the  mercy  vouchsafed 
unto  him  and  his  Greenland  brethren  during 
the  past  thirty  years.  Many  burst  into  tears, 
and  after  service  came  to  him,  exclaiming  : 
'*  What  shall  we  render  unto  the  Lord  for  his 
great  love  manifested  unto  us,  and  for  his 
goodness  in  sending  his  messengers  to  call 
us  unto  himself?"  The  only,  and  indeed 
the  best  reply  he  could  make,  was,  "  O  let 
Christ's  passion  ever,  till  soul  and  body  sever, 
deep  in  your  hearts  engraved  remain  !  Ye 
are  commanded  to  show  forth  the  Lord's  death 
till  he  come  !" 

Edwin.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  how  our  wor- 
thies got  to  Herrnhut. 

Mr.  Fox.  As  it  is  said  of  Abraham,  (Heb 
xi.  8.)  "  that  he  went  out,  rot  knowing  whi- 
ther he  went,"  so  they  likewise  journeyed 
they  knew  not  whither.  Ignorant  of  any 
place  where  G^d's  true  children  dwelt, — igno- 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  V9 

rant  of  the  very  existence  of  a  Moravian  chuioh, 
clad  in  mean  clothes,  without  a  penny  in 
their  possession,  they  were  of  course  obliged 
to  hide  themselves  in  the  woods.  Having 
spent  several  days  without  food,  and  feeling 
the  cravings  of  extreme  hunger,  Beck  ven- 
tured to  go  into  a  mill,  and  to  beg  a  woman 
for  a  bit  of  bread,  who,  to  his  joy  and  sur- 
prise, gave  him  half  a  loaf  and  some  butter 
in  addition.  Returning  with  this  gift  to  his 
hungry  companion,  with  tears  of  joy  they 
gave  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  and  shared  the 
blessing  together. 

Emma.  This  affecting  account  makes  me 
think  of  the  passage  in  Psalm  cvii.,  which 
so  beautifully  describes  the  case  of  our  tra- 
vellers. "  They  wandered  in  the  wilder 
ness  in  a  solitary  way ;  they  found  no  city  to 
dwell  in.  Hungry  and  thirsty,  their  soul 
fainted  in  them.  Then  they  cried  unto  the 
Lord  in  thei''  trouble,  and  he  delivered  them 
out  of  their  distresses.  And  he  led  them 
forth  by  tlie  right  way,  that  they  might  go  to 
a  city  of  habitation." 

Mr.  Fox.  Having  been  to  Breslau   on  se 


80  ANECDOTES   OP 

veral  occasions,  and  knowing-  tnat  C'liristians 
of  the  Lutheran  persuasion  lived  there,  they 
now  shaped  their  course  in  that  direction. 
Having  again  travelled  several  days  without 
food,  hunger  at  last  compelled  them  to  ask  a 
piece  of  bread  from  some  charitable  people. 
It  so  happened  that  they  entered  a  Prussian 
village  near  the  city  of  Strehlen,  where  a 
farmer,  whose  wife  was  a  native  of  Rosnitz, 
received  them  in  a  very  humane  manner. 
After  staying  there  several  days,  they  were 
told,  that  people  of  religious  sentiments  such 
as  they  heid,  lived  at  a  place  called  Herrn- 
hut,  in  Upper  Lusatia.  From  that  moment 
they  had  no  rest  in  their  minds,  but  longed 
to  see  Herrnhut,  because  they  found  nothing 
but  moral  desolation  every  where,  and  hoped 
there  to  meet  with  a  body  of  people  who 
loved  the  Saviour  supremely,  and  each  other 
cordially,  the  very  thing  they  were  in  ques* 
of. 

But  us  Beck  had  been  instrumental  in  con- 
verting his  youngest  sister  Elizabeth,  and 
she,  before  his  imprisonment,  had  entreated  him 
not  to  be  unmindful  of  her,  if  ever   the  Lord 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  ^1 

should  bring  him  to  any  of  his  faithful  fol- 
lowers, he  now  resolved  to  fulfil  his  engage- 
ment to  her ;  and  accordingly,  a  fortnight 
after  his  escape  from  his  prison,  he  retraced 
his  steps  to  lead  her  also  out  of  the  country. 

At  the  village  of  Pummerswiz  he  learned, 
that  after  he  liad  left  the  prison,  his  father 
had  been  put  in  continement  for  several 
days,  but  that  he  had  since  been  set  at  liberty. 
From  ihis  place  he  departed  at  night,  and 
brought  out  his  sister  without  the  knowledge 
of  his  parents,  although  the  whole  family  slept 
in  the  same  apartment.  Calling  her  sofdy 
by  name  liirough  an  open  window,  she  m- 
stantly  answered  :  "  Don't  you  see  any  of 
the  watch  about  the  house  ?  Go  into  the 
garden  and  I  shall  be  there  immediately." 
Having  left  the  bedroom  in  her  undress, 
slie  joined  him  in  the  garden,  exclaiming: 
"  This  is  a  miracle  wTOught  by  God  !  He 
has  sent  his  angel  before  you  to  protect  you  ; 
for  ever  since  your  elopement,  government 
liave  every  night  placed  sentinels  about  our 
house,  charging  them  to  deliver  you  up,  dead 
or  alive,  in  rase  you  should  make  your  ap- 
pearance !'' 


82  ANECDOTES   OP 

They  journeyed  under  the  gracious  protec 
tion  of  a  Saviour's  providence,  without  pass  ^ 
port  or  money,  barefooted  and  meanly  clothed, 
and  although  necessity  compelled  them  almost 
every  night  to  sleep  in  the  open  air,  and  they 
often  lost  their  course  in  the  woods  during 
dark  and  rainy  nights,  yet  they  safely  arrived 
at  Herrnhut,  May  31,  1732,  one  day  before 
Whitsuntide.  Here  they  were  received  with 
great  cordiality  and  aflection  by  Count  Zin- 
zendorf  and  his  Brethren. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1733,  Beck  once 
more  travelled  into  his  native  country,  and 
brought  out  from  thence  John  Hadwig,  and 
his  own  eldest  sister  Anne,  who  had  both  ex- 
pressed a  great  desire  to  emigrate.  After  tak- 
ing an  affectionate  leave  of  his  parents,  he 
returned  once  more  to  Herrnhut,  with  these 
friends,  under  the  safeguard  of  his  Almighty 
Protector. 

Towards  the  close  of  this  year.  Count 
Zinzendorf  said  to  him  in  a  meeting  of  the 
Brethren :  "So,  you  are  resolved  to  go  to 
Greenland  ?    Indeed  you  look   much  like   a 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  83 

Greenlander  !"  He  replied :  "  I  am  the  Lord's, 
•let  him  do  with  me  as  seemeth  good  in  his 
sight."  And  indeed  that  Lord,  wlio  had  now 
thoroughly  furnished  his  chosen  instrument 
unto  all  good  works,  speedily  cleared  the  way 
for  him,  so  that  on  the  10th  of  March,  1734, 
he  left  Herrnhut  for  Greenland,  in  company 
with  Frederic  Bcphnish,  another  devoted  mis- 
sionary ;  they  arrived  there  on  the  19th  of 
August. 

On   thp  2nd  of  June,  1738,  Beck  was  fa- 
vourpd  to  be  instrumental  in  the  conversion  of 
the  first   Greenland   convert   to  Christianity 
who,  in  holy  baptism,  received   the  name  of 
Sara-iel. 

Edwin.  0  yes,  1  remember  reading  the  in 
teresting  account  of  Samuel  Kajarnak's  con 
version  in  the  "  Sketches  of  Moravian  mis- 
sions." 

3Ir.  Fox.  I  must  refer  you  to  that  little 
book,  as  well  as  to  Cranz's  History  of  the 
Greenland  mission,  for  further  particulars  of 
the  wonderful  success  that  attended  the  labours 
of  Beck,  B(ehnish,  Stach,&c.,  in  this  mission 
I  shall  content  rpyself  with  giving  you  an  ac- 
count D   tlie  peaceful  and  triumphant  departure 


84  ANECDOTES   OP 

of  Brother  Beck  out  of  this  vale  of  tears.  3Iarf  h 
10th,  1777,  he  once  more  rememhere'l  with 
gratitude  the  great  things  the  Lord  had  done 
for  him  during  the  period  of  forty-tliree  years, 
that  had  elapsed  since  his  departure  from 
Herrnhut.  The  colic,  which  had  often  at- 
tacked him  during  the  last  eighteen  years  of 
his  life,  seized  him  violently  on  the  11th 
On  the  16th  he  was  somewhat  better,  but  on 
the  17th  the  pain  returned  with  so  much  se- 
verity, that  both  himself  and  his  family  saw 
that  his  hour  was  almost  come.  He  then  took 
an  affectionate  leave  of  his  wife,  (the  sister 
of  the  missionary  Stach,  whom  he  had  married 
in  1736,)  commended  her  in  prayer  to  the  Lord 
and  laying  his  hand  upon  her  head,  he  gave 
her  his  parting  blessmg.  He  then  sent  for 
Brother  Meyer,  his  fellow  labourer,  who  was 
just  on  the  point  of  meeting  the  communicant 
members  of  Lichteifels.  This  meeting  was 
accordingly  postponed,  which  made  the  Green- 
land brethren  and  sisters  suspect  that  their 
dear  teacher  must  be  very  low. 

Brother  Meyer  having  entered  the  room, 
the  dying  man  of  God  thus  addressed  him : 
"  1  am  very  weak,    and   shall  probably  go  to 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  85 

my  Saviour.  All  my  concerns  with  Him  are 
settled.  He  sought  me  and  drew  me  to 
Himself  out  of  mere  love  and  mercy.  I  have 
been  exceedingly  favoured  to  serve  him  in  my 
small  degree  in  the  Greenland  mission  ;  and 
all  I  could  do,  I  did  with  cheerfulness  and 
alacrity.  Still  I  know  that  I  have  been  a  great 
debtor  and  have  often  been  to  blame.  But 
my  dear  Saviour  has  pardoned  all  my  sins,  and 
now  I  hope  he  will,  according  to  his  good 
pleasure,  take  me  to  himself."  Having  taken 
a  heart-affecting  leave  of  all  the  missionaries 
present,  he  laid  himself  quietly  down  and 
prayed  :  "  0,  dear  Saviour !  uphold  my  weak 
frame  and  ease  my  pains !  But  ah !  what 
are  my  sufferings  when  compared  to  thine  ! 
O,  the  anguish,  the  agony  of  death  which 
thou  hast  endured."  His  sufferings  in  the 
night  succeeding  the  17th,  were  so  excru- 
ciating, that  he  confessed  he  had  never  before 
spent  so  painful  a  night.  No  medicine 
taking  any  effect,  his  only  and  last  solace  was 
prayer  to,  and  communion  with  the  Saviour. 
On  the  19th,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  mo?ning, 
he  desired  Brother  Meyer  to  give  hi^^  the 
last  benediction.  Having  himself  unc  -rered 
H 


86  ANECDOTES    OF 

his  venerable  head,  the  blessing  of  the  Lord 
was  bestowed  upon  him,  under  a  powerful 
sensation  of  the  divine  presence,  and  the  tears 
of  the  bystanders  manifested,  how  deeply  they 
deplored  the  loss  of  sc  worthy  a  man.  Ac- 
cording to  his  wish,  repeatedly  expressed, 
he  was  permitted  to  retain  the  full  possession 
of  his  mental  faculties  to  the  last  moment  of 
his  life.  At  four  o'clock  at  length  arrived  the 
moment,  when  his  beloved  Friend  beckoned 
his  faithful  servant  away  into  the  mansions  of 
rest,  in  the  71st  year  of  his  life.  During  the 
forty-three  years  of  his  ministry  in  Greenland, 
he  baptized  450  persons  of  that  nation,  which 
affords  one  proof  among  many  others,  diat 
he  was  not  slothful,  but  always  abounding  m 
the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  that  his  labours 
were  not  vain  in  the  Lord. 

Emma.  Indeed,  father,  the  account  of  his 
last  moments  is  so  affecting,  I  can  hardly  re- 
frain from  shedding  tears. 

Mr.  Fox.  I  have  myself  been  much  edified 
while  reflecting  on  the  exemplary  piety,  de- 
70tedness,  humility  and  resignation  of  this 
A^orthy  missionary. 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES  87 


CONVERSATION  V. 

Ediinn.  Sister,  what  is  the  name  of  that 
Moravian  Brother,  whose  portrait  we  saw  some 
lime  last  year,  in  Heckewelder's  narrative  ? 

Emma.  I  think  it  was  the  Rev.  David 
Zeisberger. 

Edwin.  Yes,  that's  the  name.  Oh  do,  fa- 
ther, tell  us  something  about  this  good  man. 
I  know  nothing  more  about  him,  than  that 
he  was  a  missionary  of  the  Moravian  Brethren, 
among  the  North  American  Indians,  many 
years. 

Mr.  Fox.  I  most  cheerfully  will  do  so ;  but 
as  you  know  our  conversation  hour  is  neces- 
sarily short  to-day,  you  must  be  content  with 
merely  some  of  the  most  striking  incidents  m 
his  long,  laborious,  useful  and  eventful  life. 

DavidZeisberger  was  born  April  11th,  1721, 
at  Zauchtenthal  in  Moravia;  he  was  conse- 
quently, in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  word,  a 
Moravian,  and  in  after  life  proved  himself  to 
be  one  of  the  genuine  stamp,  by  his  huniibty 


88  ANECDOTES    OF 

and  perfect  devotedness  to  the  cause  of  the 
Redeemer.  To  escape  Irom  persecution,  his 
family,  consisting  of  his  parents,  a  brother  and 
a  sister,  and  himself,  emigrated  by  night  from 
their  native  village,  leaving  all  their  property 
behind.  Younsf  Zeisbercrer  was  but  five  years 
old  when  he  arrived  with  his  father's  family  at 
Herrnhut,  where  he  distinguished  himself  by 
his  diligence  at  school.  In  1736,  Count  Zin- 
zendorf  took  him  to  Holland,  where,  the  Bre- 
thren treating  him,  according  to  the  mode  of 
education  then  current  among  them,  as  he 
thought,  with  too  great  severity,  if  not  with 
injustice,  he  secretly  left  the  place  of  his  abode, 
m  company  with  another  youth  from  Moravia, 
whose  name  was  Shober.  They  went  on  board 
a  vessel  bound  for  Georgia,  where  they  knew 
the  Brethren  had  commenced  a  settlement. 
The  members  of  the  colony,  and  in  particular 
the  parents  of  Zeisberger,  who  had  arrived 
there  before  with  the  other  colonists,  were 
greatly  surprised  at  the  unexpected  appearance 
of  these  youths.  But  with  all  their  joy  at  seeing 
him  again,  his  parents  and  the  company  were 
much  concerned  about  him,  as  they  were  poor, 
and  had  but  little  for  their   own  subsistence. 


MISSIONARY   WORTH/ES.  89 

Yet  He,  under  whose  protection  he  had  safeiy 
crossed  the  ocean,  knew  how  to  provide  for 
his  daily  subsistence,  as  well  as  for  that  of  the 
whole  colony. 

He  had  been  but  a  few  weeks  in  Georgia, 
when  he  experienced  a  remarkable  preserva- 
tion of  his  life.  Having  heard  the  Bretliren 
complain  of  the  great  damage  done  to  their 
rice  fields,  in  the  night  by  the  deer,  he  se- 
cretly took  a  loaded  gun  and  repaired  to  the 
spot  where  the  deer  used  to  enter  the  field. 
Their  entrance  was  under  a  fallen  tree,  which 
rested  upon  another  one.  He  climbed  up  the 
former  about  fifteen  feet  high,  and  had  not 
kept  his  seat  a  great  while,  before  two  deer 
approached  the  spot.  As  they  were  in  the 
act  of  passing  under  the  tree,  he  fired  ;  but 
the  gun,  which  had  been  heavily  charged,  gave 
him  such  a  shock  that  he  fell  backwards  to 
the  ground.  How  long  he  lay  there  in  a 
swoon  he  could  not  himself  tell.  On  recover- 
ing his  senses,  his  head  having  been  severely 
hurt  by  the  fall,  he  wiped  the  blood  from  hka 
face,  and  discovered  the  dead  deer  lying  near 
him  ;  but  the  fowling  piece  he  could  not  find. 
When  he  made  his  appearance  at  home,  the 
h2 


90  ANECDOTES    OF 

Brethren  were  shocked  at  the  sight,  kindly 
dressed  his  wounds  and  went  out  and  brought 
home  both  the  deer  and  the  gun. 

In  1740  he  moved  with  the  colony  to  Beth 
lehem,  in  Pennsylvania,  where  a  variety  of 
incidents  contributed  to  induce  him,  to  devote 
himself,  out  of  gratitude  to  the  Saviour,  to  the 
missionary  cause.  Diligently  improving  his 
talent  for  acquiring  foreign  languages,  he  soon 
made  himself  master  of  several  Indian  dia- 
lects. In  1745  he  travelled  with  bishop 
Spangenberg,  for  the  first  time,  to  Onondago, 
the  seat  of  the  great  council  of  the  Iroquois 
Indians.  On  their  return  from  that  place  their 
stock  of  provisions  was  at  one  time  exhausted. 
A  green  lawn  afforded  them  a  comfortable 
resting  place,  but  nothing  to  satisfy  the  crav- 
ings of  hunger.  Having  cast  many  a  wish- 
ful glance  at  each  other,  bishop  Spangenberg 
arose,  and  in  friendly  mood  thus  addressed 
Zeisberger :  "Come,  David,  make  haste  and 
get  your  fishing  tackle  ready  to  catch  a  mess 
of  fish  for  us.''  He  replied  ;  I  would  readily 
make  the  attempt,  if  there  were  the  least 
prospect  of  catching  any  fish  ;  the  fish  do  not 
stay  in  such  c  ear  shallow  water,  particularly 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  91 

at  this  season  of  the  year,  for  at  present  they 
are  ill  in  deep  water.  Shebosh,  their  com 
panion,  confirmed  this  assertion.  S}»ano-enberg. 
however,  continued:  "But  if  I,  notwithstand- 
ing-, say  :  '  David,  go  and  fish' !  you  will  do  so 
this  time  from  mere  obedience."  David  having 
consented  to  go,  the  bishop  then  said  :  "  Go 
a  litde  farther  out  into  the  water,  that  from  my 
^eensward  1  may  have  the  pleasure  of  wit- 
nes»sino[  vour  skill  in  fishinof."  While  Zeis- 
beiger  and  Shebosh  were  stepping  into  the 
water,  they  said  to  each  other :  Our  dear 
brother  Spangenberg  knows  very  little  about 
fishing  ;  no  wonder,  however — it  is  something 
out  of  his  line.  Filled  with  surprise,  they 
were  soon  ready  to  take  back  their  declaration, 
for  Shebosh  had  enough  to  do  merely  to 
watch  the  large  fish  that  Zeisberger  caught. 
On  returning  to  their  resting  place,  Spangen- 
berg smiling,  observed,  "  Ah  !  my  brethren  ! 
have  we  not  a  kind  heavenly  Father  ?"  Not 
only  were  thej  enabled  for  the  present  to  sa- 
tisfy the  ciavings  of  hunger,  but  they  also  had 
a  supply  left,  which,  according  to  the  Indian 
fashion,  they  dried  at  a  fire  and  then  took 
wi.h    them    to   eerve  them   on   their   further 


92  ANECDOTES   OF 

journey.  Or  this  occasion  Zeisbergei's  faith 
in  the  gracioi.s  providence  of  Gotl  was  so 
firmly  established,  that  ever  afterwards,  dur.ng 
the  whole  of  his  ministry,  he  ventured  every 
thing  upon  the  help  and  support  of  the  Lord, 
and  never  suffered  himself  to  be  dissuaded 
from  his  purpose,  whenever  he  had  the  good 
of  perishing  souls  in  view. — On  another  occa- 
sion, when  they  were  much  distressed  for 
want  of  provisions  for  several  days,  they 
found  a  quarter  of  a  bear,  which  an  Indian,  not 
being  able  to  carry  it  with  him,  had  hung  up 
at  the  side  of  the  road,  for  the  benefit  of  those 
that  might  happen  to  come  that  way. 

Edwin.  While  you  were  relating,  father, 
how  these  pious  men  were  supplied  with  fish 
in  so  seasonable  a  manner,  I  thought  of  the 
miraculous  draught  of  fishes  with  which  our 
Saviour  favoured  his  disciples,  when  they 
had  toiled  lU  night  and  caught  nothing. 

Emma.  I  suppose  the  same  power  that 
furnished  ihe  one  draught,  bestowed  the 
other  also. 

Mr.  Fox.  Unquestionably  ;  for  it  is  said, 
"  the  Lord  giveth  to  all  their  meat  in  due  sea- 
son ;  he  openeth  his  hand  and  satisfieth  the  de- 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  93 

sire  of  every  living  thing."  But  we  will  now 
resume  Zeisberger's  history.  From  1745  till 
1750,  he  was  almost  constantly  travelling  and 
preaching  among  different  Indian  nations ; 
having  either  the  bishops  Cammerhof  and 
Spangenberg,  or  else  the  Brethren  Post  and 
Mack  with  him,  as  his  fellow-travellers.  To- 
wards the  close  of  1750  he  went  on  a  visit 
to  Europe,  where  count  Zinzendorf,  at  Herrn- 
hut,  had  a  long  conversation  with  him  concern- 
ing his  labours  among  the  Indians,  and  acknow- 
ledged him  to  be  a  chosen  vessel  of  God  foi 
the  good  of  these  people.  He  confirmed  his 
call  to  this  mission,  and  with  this  view  recom- 
mended him  in  an  especial  manner  to  the  Di- 
vine blessing.  Thus  having  his  province  dis- 
tinctly marked  out  to  him,  Zeisberger,  on  his 
return  to  America,  was  enabled  to  resume  his 
favourite  pursuits  with  so  much  the  greater 
confidence  and  activity.  During  the  following 
ten  or  twelve  years,  he  and  other  missionaries 
that  accompanied  him,  had  to  suffer  incredible 
hardships ;  so  that  the  Indians  were  often 
gready  surprised  to  see  the  Brethren,  who 
might  have  lived  so  comfortably  at  home,  out 
of  mere  love  to  them,  take  up  with  coarse  fare, 


94  ANECDOTES   OP 

oreven  sufferhunger.  November 24th,  1755 
being  the  day  on  which  the  house  of  the 
missionary  Brethren,  on  Mahony  creek,  was 
attacked  and  burnt,  and  eleven  persons  were 
murdered  by  hostile  Indians,  Zeisberger  was 
sent  as  a  messenger,  carrying  letters  which  he 
was  10  deliver  that  same  evening  at  botl: 
places,  Gnadenhutten  on  the  Lehigh,  and  the 
establishment  on  the  Mahony,  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  former.  Having  arrived  at  Gnad- 
enhutten, at  the  house  of  the  missionaries 
Mack  and  Grube,  they  did  not  think  it  safe 
for  him  to  cross  the  Mahony  the  same  even- 
ing, particularly  as  hostile  Indians  were  known 
to  be  lurking  in  the  neighbourhood.  But  he 
would  by  no  means  be  dissuaded  from  execut- 
ing the  commission  he  had  received;  bidding 
the  missionaries  good  night,  he  mounted  his 
horse  and  rode  off.  Mack  being  seized  with 
anxious  forebodings  concerning  his  fate,  ran 
after  him  and  earnestly  begged  him  to  return 
but  he  would  not  yield  to  any  solicitations,  but 
rode  on.  He  had  hardly  got  into  the  middle 
of  the  Lehigh,  when  Mack  distinctly  heard 
the  iring  on  the  Mahony,  and  called  out  to  him 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  95 

to  return.  Zeisberger,  not  hearing  the  report 
of  the  firearms,  on  account  of  the  rushing  of  . 
the  water,  rode  quite  across  the  Lehigh  ;  but 
at  last  he  was  prevailed  upon  to  retrace  his 
steps.  As  soon  as  he  came  up  to  Mack, 
who  stood  waiting  for  him  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  they  saw  the  country  in  the  direction 
of  the  Mahony  illuminated  by  fire ;  from 
whence  they  concluded  that  the  buildings  be- 
longing to  the  Brethren  on  that  creek  were  in 
flames.  Shortly  after,  this  supposition  was 
confirmed  by  the  arrival  of  Joseph  Sturgis,  a 
youth  who  had  escaped  the  murderous  hands 
of  the  incendiaries.  Zeisberger,  immediately 
after  the  receipt  of  the  tragical  news,  hastened 
back  to  Bethlehem,  where  he  arrived  in  the 
morning  at  3  o'clock.  In  regard  to  this  gra- 
cious preservation  of  his  life,  he  often  ex- 
pressed himself  to  this  effect :  "  Had  I  come 
sooner,  or  a  little  later  to  the  missionaries  on 
the  Mahony,  I  shjuld  have  run  right  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy  ;  but  such  was  not  the 
Saviour's  will ;  I  was  destined  to  serve  him 
loiger  in  his  vineyard." 

Etmaa.    How  plainly    was    the   Scripture 


yb  ANECDOTES    OF 

declaration  verified  in  this  case  :  *All  things 
work  together  for  good  unto  them  that  love 
God  !" 

Mr.  Fox.  Yes,  and  not  only  in  reference 
to  Zeisberger's  narrow  escape,  but  also  in 
regard  to  the  poor  sufferers  in  that  tragical 
scene.     Men  of  the  world,  indeed,  consider  it 

very  distressing  case  to  die  under  such  cir- 
cumstances ;  but  pious  people  know  and  believe 
that  such  a  death  to  tliem  is  for  their  good 
because  it  terminates  not  only  all  their  sorrows 
and  suflerings  here,  but  at  once  brings  them 
to  the  full  possession  of  an  eternal  weight  of 
glory 

To  give  you  some  idea  of  the  suflerings  of 
the  missionaries  in  those  days,  while  travel- 
ing in  the  Indian  country,  and  of  the  hardships 
some  of  the  devoted  heralds  of  the  cross  have 
to  undergo  to  this  day,  I  will  give  you  a  short 
account  of  Zeisberger's  journey,  which,  in 
1767,  he  undertook  to  the  Ohio,  along  the  banks 
of  which  Indians  were  reported  to  be  living, 
that  were  anxious  to  hear  the  gospel.  This 
was  enough  for  his  ardent  spirit.  Without 
regarding  the  obstacles,  hardships  .iiiJ  iriuis  he 


MTSSTONARY    WORTHIES.  \)  I 

might  meet  with  on  the  way,  he  set  out  in 
company  with  Anthony  and  John  Papunhank, 
two  pious  Indian  assistants ;  the  whole  In- 
dian congregation  at  Friedenshuetten  (Peace- 
cabins)  uniting  in  prayer  for  their  preservation 
on  this  dangerous  journey.  Frequently  they 
had  to  travel  over  plains  many  miles  in  length, 
called  prairies,  overgrown  with  such  high 
grass,  that  a  man  on  horseback  was  entirely 
concealed  in  it ;  and  when  either  dew  or  rain 
had  fallen,  our  travellers  were  completely 
drenched  by  it.  The  farther  they  penetrated, 
the  more  frightful  the  wilderness  appeared^ 
and  it  cost  them  immense  labour  to  worK 
their  way  through  the  thickets.  After  a 
march  of  four  days  through  such  a  country 
they  found  the  first  hut  in  the  woods,  in  which 
they  took  their  lodging  for  the  night;  for 
60  far  they  had  always  slept  in  the  open  air, 
wrapping  themselves  up  in  their  blankets 
and  suffering  great  inconvenience  from  the 
continual  rains.— -The  result  of  this  visit  to 
the  heathen  Indians  was  such,  that  through 
the  bold,  spirited  and  affectionate  addresses 
I 


yo  ANECDOTES    OF 

of  Zeisberffer  and  his  assistants,  and  thff 
eviderit  blessing:  of  God  resting  on  their 
labours,  a  desirable  door  was  opened  for  the 
preac'hing  of  the  gospel  among  them.  A.c- 
cordingly,  in  April  of  the  followino;  year, 
Zeisberger,  attended  by  bishop  Ettwein,  and 
the  Brethren  Heckewelder  and  Angerman,*  set 
out  on  a  journey  to  tie  Ohio,  which  lasted 
five  weeks,  in  hopes  of  forming  a  missionary 
establishment  there.  This  company  were  in 
great  danger  of  losing  their  lives  in  a  shock- 
ing manner,  the  first  night  of  their  stay  at 
Wajomick.  Oo-den,  a  trader,  the  only  white 
man  at  the  place,  entertained  them  very  hospi- 
tably. The  dwelling  of  this  man  consistea 
ot  two  small  building-s  adjoining  each  other; 
in  one  were  stored  \v  s  goods  which  he  kept 
for  sale,  and  in  the  other  several  kegs  of  pow- 
der were  deposited.  He  slept  in  the  store- 
room, from  which  a  door  opened  into  the 
powder  magazine  ;  another  opened  into  it 
from  the  outside.  A  change  of  weather  threat 
ening  to  come  on,  he  prepared  a  couch  of 
straw  for  his  g-uests  in  the  powder  magazine 

*  ConiJult  Hekewelder's  History 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  99 

requesting  them,  in  the  most  frienJl}'  terms, 
on  no  account  to  smoke  tobacco  in  the  apart- 
ment, not  only  because  some  grains  of  powder 
might  lie  scattered  upon  the  floor,  but  chiefly 
because  several  kegs  had  been  opened.  At 
bed  time  Mr.  Ogden  placed  a  lighted  candle 
in  his  store,  in  such  a  situation  that  it  coula 
throw  sufficient  light  through  the  middle  door, 
until  the  whole  company  had  retired  to  rest. 
Angerman,  however,  in  order  to  examine  and 
bind  up  his  wouned  feet,  wished  to  have  the 
candle  placed  nearer  to  himself.  The  land- 
lord, and  the  rest  of  the  company,  represented 
to  him  the  danger  to  which  he  would  expose 
nimself  and  them ;  but  he  ceased  not  to  plead 
for  it,  promising  neither  to  bring  the  candle  in 
contact  with  the  straw,  nor  to  blow  it  out,  but 
to  leave  it  standing  on  the  sill  of  the  door, 
and  then  to  extinguish  it  on  the  outside  of  the 
house.  Mr.  Ogden  finally  gave  way  to  his 
request,  and  then  shut  the  middle  door.  They 
now  laid  down,  after  once  more  charging 
Ano-erman  to  be  careful  with  the  lio;ht  They 
soon  fell  asleep,  and  he  too  was  overpowered 
by    sleep,    before    he    had    extinguished    the 


100  ANECDOTES   OF 

light. — Next  morning  Zeisberger  took  Hecke- 
welder  aside  into  the  woods,  there  drew  the 
candle  out  of  his  pocket,  and,  in  confidence. 
3aid  to  him  :  "  If  during  the  preceding  night 
we  had  not  had  an  invisible  guard  placed  over 
us,  we  should  all  have  been  blown  to  atoms, 
and  no  soul  could  have  known  how  it  hap- 
pened. I  was  fast  asleep  after  the  great  fa- 
tigue I  had  undergone,  when  suddenly  1  felt  a 
shock,  as  though  some  one  were  rousing  me 
by  force.  I  jumped  up,  and  behold  !  the  can- 
dle was  burnt  down  on  one  side,  and  just 
on  the  point  of  dropping  in  a  blaze  on 
the  straw.  To  prevent  this  accident,  there 
was  but  one  moment  left.  From  that  instanf 
all  sleep  was  banished  from  my  eyelids — one 
chill  after  another  thrilled  through  my  veins  ! 
Thanks  be  to  our  Lord  for  this  extraordinary 
preservation  of  our  lives  !" 

Emma.  This  wonderful  preservation  of 
these  servants  of  God,  brings  to  my  remem- 
brance the  saying  of  David,  (Ps.  xxxiv.  7.) 
"  The  a  igel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about 
them  th.it  fear  him,  and  delivereth  them." 

EJutii.  And  I  have  to  think  of  the  text  I 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  101 

commj'^d  to  memory  for  our  last    Sunday- 
school     "All  his  saints  are  in  Thy  hand!" 

Mr.  Fox.  Yes,  it  is  still  true  in  our  days, 
as  it  vas  in  the  time  of  Moses  and  David, 
that  th<3  Lord  preserveth  the  souls  and  bodies 
of  hi«*  saints.  But  I  have  an  engagement, 
that  <»emands  my  immediate  attention ;  we 
shall  "herefore  conclude  our  conversation  this 
pvenniof. 


I2 


102  ANECDOTES   OF 

CONVERSATION  VL 

Edwin.  Well,  I  am  happy  we  are  agam 
met  under  the  shade  of  our  noble  pear-tree  ; 
I  hope  we  shall  hear  something  further  about 
Zeisberger. 

Emma.  Will  you  please,  father,  to  continue 
the  interesting  narrative  concerning  him  ? 

Mr.  Fox.  You  will  remember,  it  is  my  de- 
sign to  confine  myself  principally  to  interesting 
anecdotes  from  his  valuable  life,  rather  than 
to  give  you  a  regular  narrative,  because  that 
would  lead  us  too  far.  I  may  on  the  whole, 
remark,  that  the  labours  of  this  untiring  apostle 
of  the  Indians  were  moet  singularly  blest  by 
the  great  Head  of  the  church  ;  and  the  collect- 
ing and  establishing  a  number  of  flourishing 
Christian  Indian  congregations,  in  different 
parts  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  was,  under 
God,  chiefly  owing  to  his  great  and  persevering 
exertions  in  the  gooc  cause.  During  the  great 
revival,  for  instance,  which  took  place  at 
Schoenbrunn,*    one  of  these    Indian  congre- 

*  Schoenbrunn,  (beautiful  spring,)  a  name  given  b>  Zeis« 
berger. — See  Moravian  Mis.  p.  105. 


MISSIONARl    WORTHIES.  103 

gntions  in  Ohio,  his  biographer  tells  us,  that 
Zeisberger  had  his  full  share  of  the  work.  His 
heart  leaped  for  joy,  when  he  was  favoured  to 
be  an  eye-witness  to  the  powerful  effects, 
which  the  word,  preached  by  him  and  his  t'el- 
ow-labourei's,  had  upon  the  hearts  of  the 
hearers.  No  strange  Indian  came  into  the 
village  but  heard  the  gospel,  and  daily  there 
were  some  of  them  on  a  visit  to  the  place  ; 
numbers  did  not  leave  it  again,  but  immediately 
asked  for  permission  to  stay;  a  spark  of  grace 
had  fallen  into  the  hearts  of  others,  which  after- 
wards induced  them  to  call  again,  and  to  re- 
main. These  happy  days  the  missionary  ever 
after  held  in  grateful  remembrance. 

In  1779,  Zeisberger,  being  once  on  the 
point  of  returning  from  Lichtenau,  another 
missionary  station,  whither  he  had  gone  on  a 
visit,  to  Schoenbrunn,  a  faithful  friend  from 
Sandusky  brought  him  the  news,  that  a  party 
of  murderers  had  been  deputed  by  the  governor 
of  Detroit,  and  were  already  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, being  charged  to  take  the  missionary 
alive,  or  bring  away  his  scalp.  His  friends 
therefore  tried  all  in  their  power  to  prevail  on 
him  to  stay  at  Jiichtenau — the  more  so,  as  he 


104  ANECDOTES   OP 

had  but  one  Indian  to  accompany  him.  But 
he  replied  with  great  cahnness  and  composure  ; 
"  My  destiny  is  in  the  hands  of  God ;  how 
often  has  Satan  attempted  to  cast  me  down ; 
but  he  is  not  permitted  to  effect  his  purpose. 
I  go  !"  Seeing  him  so  resolute,  they  deter- 
mined that,  at  least,  a  safeguard  of  valiant  In- 
dians should  accompany  him  ;  but  as  these 
could  not  get  themselves  in  readiness  so  soon, 
he  took  leave  of  the  Brethren,  and  rode  off. 
God  however  permitted  him  to  strike  into  a 
wrong  path,  without  his  being  aware  of  it.  The 
four  Brethren,  having  started  an  hour  later  than 
he,  on  coming  to  the  spot  where  the  road  forked, 
saw  Zeisberger,  who  in  the  mean  time  had 
discovered  his  mistake,  riding  back,  and  thus 
they  providentially  met  together.  Had  he 
taken  the  right  road,  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible for  thesi  Brethren  to  have  overtaken 
him  before  he  met  the  hostile  party  ;  the  latter 
meeting  them  when  they  were  only  about  ten 
miles  from  Lichtenau.  Just  at  this  juncture, 
some  friendly  Dela wares,  brave  men,  being 
out  upon  the  chase,  joined  Zeisberger's  com- 
pany, and  immediately  had  recourse  to  their 
arms,  in  order  to  act  upon  the  defensive,  pro- 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  105 

vided  they  were  attacked.  This  however  was 
unnecessary,  as  the  enemy,  on  finding  tliem 
upon  their  guard,  presently  departed. 

Echvin.  Oh,  I  was  afraid  the  dear  seivanl 
of  God  would  certainly  fall  into  their  hands  ; 
I  feel  so  happy  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  once 
more  delivered  him  out  of  the  snare  that  was 
laid  for  him  ! 

Mr.  Fox.  He  was  not  always  so  fortunate  , 
for  two  years  after,  on  his  return  from  Bethle* 
hem  and  Litiz,  at  which  latter  place  he  had 
married  Susan  Lekron,  he  and  all  his  fellow- 
labourers  were  carried  away  captives  to  the  river 
Sandusky,  about  125  miles  from  the  mission- 
ary stations.  Heckewelder  gives  the  following 
account  of  this  tragical  event.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  3rd  of  September,  a  native  assist- 
ant entered  the  mission-house  at  Gnadenhut- 
ten  on  the  Muskingum,  where  the  Brethren 
Zeisberger,  Edwjrds,  Senseman,  and  Hecke- 
welder were  assembled,  and  with  *ears  in  his 
eyes  brought  the  news,  that  the  savages  would 
attack  them  that  very  day ;  but  that  the  latter 
were  not  aojeed  amono^  themselves,  whether 
they  would  lead  them  away  prisoners,  or  mur- 
der and   scalp  them      This  intelligence   had 


106  ANECBOTES   OF 

been  gwen  to  the  native  assistant  bj  one 
of  his  rehitions,  who  had  sat  in  their  counci  ,  aiid 
was  a  friend  to  the  Brethren.  The  mission- 
aries, notwithstanding,  rang  the  he'll  at  the 
usual  hour  in  the  morning,  to  assemble  the 
Indians  for  divine  sen'ice  ;  and  as  a  great 
number  of  warriors  came  along  with  the  Chris- 
tian Indians,  the  spacious  hall  was  not  only 
crowded  with  people,  but  many  stood  on  the 
outside  of  the  doors. 

After  singing  a  hymn,  brother  Zeisberger 
read  the  text  appointed  for  the  day — "  In  a 
little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee  for  a  mo- 
ment ;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  I  will 
have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  diy  Re- 
deemer." Isa.  liv.  8.  From  these  words  he  dis- 
coursed with  such  power  and  undaunted  bold 
ness,  that  the  great  part  of  his  hearers,  ant^ 
among  them  many  of  the  warriors  were  melted 
jnto  tears.  All  the  truly  faithful  members  of  the 
church,  were,  on  this  occasion,  united  togethei 
m  one  spirit,  and  formed  the  resolution,  v,i\ 
lingly  and  patiently  to  submit  to  every  thin^ 
that  God  should  suffer  to  befall  them;  others 
however,  whose  conversion  was  not  sincere, 
were  brought  to  consider  their  state,  and  at  leas4 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  107 

to  be  iishamed  of  their  double-mindedness.  But 
another  blessed  consequence  of  this  memordble 
meeting  was,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  the  preven- 
tion of  a  terrible  slaughter.  The  missionaries 
knew,  that  many  of  their  Indian  brethren  \vou]d 
not  remain  indifferent  spectators,  in  case  their 
teachers  should  be  assaulted  and  abused  ;  ai  d 
it  was  likewise  known  that  many  of  the  war- 
riors loved  the  missionaries,  and  would,  ir 
connexion  with  their  relations  among  the  be- 
lieving Indians,  fight  for  them.  The  war 
council  of  the  Hurons  having  been  apprized 
of  this,  had  therefore  devised  ways  and  means 
to  assassinate  them.  Now  brother  Zeisberger 
had  declared  publicly,  and  in  the  name  of  all 
the  missionaries,  that  they  would  willingly 
and  without  murmuring  submit  to  every  dis- 
pensation of  Divine  Providence ;  yea,  that 
they  would,  as  was  the  duty  of  every  believer, 
pray  for  their  enemies,  and  for  all  the  warriors 
that  had  encamped  around  them.  Doing  so 
himself,  at  the  conclusion  of  his  discourse, 
the  minds  of  the  believing  Indians  were  put  at 
rest  concerning  ibeir  teachers ;  and  the  war- 
liors  who  had  bef\i  present  at  the  meeting. 
co\df\  "ftow  announct  to  the  council,  that  they 


lOS  ANECDOTES    OP 

should  meet  with  no  resistance  here  For 
this  reason  also,  but  three  or  four  Indians 
laid  hands  on  the  missionaries,  and,  contrary 
to  their  custom  on  such  occasions,  treated 
them  with  comparative  lenity,  notwithstand- 
ing above  300  warriors  were  on  the  spot 
At  noon  of  said  day,  the  Brethren  Zeisberger, 
Senseman,  and  Hecke  welder,  standing  together, 
a  Mousey  captain  came  running  up  to  them, 
and  asked  the  former,  whether  he  alone  would 
acknowledge  himself  as  belonging  to  the  nation 
of  the  Monseys,  (a  Delaware  tribe,)  and  as  their 
only  teacher?  Scarcely  had  they  returned 
for  answer :  '*  Where  one  stays,  there  we  all 
8tay,"  when  all  three  were  seized  and  led  into 
the  camp  of  the  Hurons.  While  they  were 
being  dragged  along,  a  Huron  galloped  up  to 
them  with  great  impetuosity,  and  aimed  his 
javelin  at  Senseman,  but  fortunately  missed 
him.  A  wicked  Mousey  took  them  one  after 
the  other  by  the  hair,  and  shaking  their  heads 
soundly,  every  time  repeated  these  words, 
"  Guamangomel  niniat!"  i.  e.  "I  salute  thee. 
Brother  !"  Tliis  their  arch  enemy,  who  was 
a  great  reviler  of  the  gospel,  very  well  knew 
the  mode  of  salutation  current  amons:  the  Bre- 


anSSIONARY   WORTHIES.  109 

« 

thren,  and  having  the  teachers  now  in  his 
power,  he  vented  his  indignation  against  th  ;m 
in  this  mannci-. 

Emma.  How  much  the  conduct  of  these 
missionaries  resembles  that  of  our  Saviour,  of 
whom  it  is  said,  that  "when  he  was  reviled, 
he  reviled  not  again,  when  he  suffered,  he 
threatened  not ;  but  committed  himself  to  Him 
that  judgeth  righteously." 

Mr.  Fox.  It  was,  you  see,  the  grace  of 
Christ  which  enabled  them  patiently  to  sub= 
mit  to  these  indignities ;  for  if  the  spirit  of 
Christ  had  not  animated  them,  they  would,  like 
men  of  valour,  probably  have  taken  up  arms  in 
their  own  defence,  or  at  least  have  instigated 
their  people  to  do  so ;  whereas  the  truth  is 
this,  they  not  only  put  down  every  attempt 
made  by  their  people  for  this  purpose,  but  at 
the  demand  of  the  savages  even  prevailed  upon 
the  believing  Indians,  in  a  body,  to  remove, 
and  retire  with  them  into  the  Sandusky  wil- 
derness, where,  after  having  sustained  at  the 
three  missionary  stations  a  loss,  amounting  in 
value  to  more  than  §12,000  they  spent  a  most 
wretched  winter,  being  almost  perished  with 
■told  and  famine.  In  March  the  missionaries 
K 


110  ANECDOTES   OP 

were  informed,  that  they  were  to  be  brought 
as  prisoners  of  war  to  Detroit.  Tlie  sej)ara- 
tion  from  his  dear  flock  grieved  Brother  Zeis- 
berger  beyond  expression. 

At  parting  he  exhorted  them  with  paternai 
tenderness,  now  their  teachers  were  taken 
from  them,  to  cleave  the  more  firmly  to  their 
Saviour.  On  their  way  to  Detroit,  the  mis- 
sionaries received  the  heart-rending  news  of 
the  tragical  occurrence  on  the  Muskingum, 
when  94  Christian  Indians  were  cruelly  mur- 
dered by  a  band  of  American  assassins. 

Edwin.  Did  the  missionaries  never  return 
to  those  of  their  flock,  who  escaped  this  mas- 
sacre ? 

Mr.  Fox.  Yes,  they  afterwards  commenced 
three  or  four  new  missionary  establishments 
in  succession,  where  they  collected  their  scat- 
tered Indian  flock  ;  but  they  were  constantly 
compelled  to  change  their  places  of  abode  by  the 
machinations  of  their  enemies  :md  various  other 
into  ward  circumstances,  till  in  the  fall  of  1798, 
when  we  find  Zeisberger  returning  with  his 
assistant  and  their  congregation  to  die  iMusk- 
ingum,  where  he  commenced  the  missionary 
tation  at  Goshen.     This  was  the  thirteenth 


MISSIONARY  WORTHIES.  Ill 

Christain  Indian  town  that  he  laid  out,  and 
here  he  spent  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life 
without  any  mo^station  from  without,  and  in 
a  constant  siate  of  activity. 

It  now  remains  for  me  to  give  you  some 
account  of  the  happy  death  of  this  champion 
of  the  cross.  On  the  5t.i  of  November,  1808^ 
seeing  his  end  approaching,  he  addressed  him- 
self to  his  fellow-labourer.  Brother  Mortimer, 
in  the  following  terms  :  "  My  strength  is  daily 
decreasing ;  I  believe  that  our  Saviour  intends 
to  make  this  sickness  the  occasion  of  my  dis- 
solution. I  have  reviewed  the  whole  of 
my  past  life  before  Him,  and  found  abundant 
reason  to  crave  his  forgiveness.  I  rely  upon 
his  blood  to  cleanse  me  from  all  sin  ;  I  know 
that  I  am  His,,  and  that  he,  with  all  his  merits, 
is  mine.  Some  of  God's  children  leave  this 
world  in  triumph,  but  that  is  not  my  case.  I 
go  home  with  the  feelings  of  a  poor  sinner- 
My  soul  the  Saviour  will  take  to  heaven  ;  my 
sinful  body  I  leave  behind."  On  the  12th  he 
was  entirely  confined  to  his  bed  by  a  violent 
ttack  of  the  colic,  which  weakened  him  to 
uch  a  degree,  that  it  became  evident  this 
would  hasten  his  dissolution.     On  the  follow- 


112  ANECDOTES   OF 

ing  day  he  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  Lia 
wife,  thanking  her  most  cordially  for  all  the 
kindness  she  had  ever  shown  him.  Towards 
midnight  the  last  blessing  was  pronounced  over 
him  by  Brother  Mortimer,  at  his  own  request. 
lie  was  often  found  engaged  in  secret  prayer, 
and  sometimes  broke  out  into  this  audible  ejacu- 
lation ;  "  Lord  Jesus  !  I  pray  thee,  come  and  re- 
ceive my  spirit !"  At  ore  time,  being  in  great 
pain,  he  prayed  very  tervendy  thus  :  "  Thou 
never  yet  didst  forsake  me  in  any  distress  what- 
soever, neither  wilt  Tliou  forsake  me  now  T* 
and  soon  after  he  exclaimed,  as  though  he  were 
sure  that  his  prayer  were  heard :  "  The  Saviour 
is  near,  perhaps  he  will  soon  come  and  take  me 
nome !"  Although  he  so  ardently  longed  to 
be  divested  of  this  earthly  tabernacle,  yet  he 
manifested  not  the  least  sign  of  impatience, 
but  remained  wholly  resigned  to  the  will  of 
the  Lord.  That  childlike  faith,  and  that  firm 
reliance  upon  the  Saviour,  whereby  his  life 
was  so  eminently  d/stinguished,  and  which 
carried  him  through  every  trial  and  difficulty, 
even  now,  when  death  approached,  bore  away 
the  palm  of  victory  ;  and  the  enjoyment  of  the 


MISSIONARY   WORTHIES.  113 

peace  of  God,  which  passes  all  understanding, 
kept  his  heart  and  mind  in  Christ  Jesus. 

On  the  17th  at  noon,  brother  Hecke welder 
and  some  other  Brethren  from  the  neighbour- 
hood, once  more  visited  him.  Being  no  longer 
able  to  express  his  thoughts  in  words,  he 
expressed  his  inward  joy  by  his  smiles. 
Soon  after  the  departure  of  those  Brethren,  a 
change  being  observed  to  take  place  in  him, 
all  the  Indian  brethren  and  sisters  collected 
around  the  dying  bed  of  their  beloved  teacher. 
Every  now  and  then  they  cheered  his  passage 
to  the  tomb,  by  singing  suitable  hymns  for  him, 
which  almost  to  the  last  moment  of  his  life, 
he  testified  by  signs  was  very  agreeable  to 
him.  About  half  past  12  o'clock  he  breathed 
his  last  very  quietly  and  without  a  groan, 
and  entered  the  mansions  of  eternal  rest,  aged 
eighty-seven  years,  seven  months,  and  six 
days. 

Edwin.  Oh  what  a  happy  death  was  his  ! 

Emma.  Well  may  every  one  who  is  desi- 
rous to  emulate  the  faith  and  patience  of  this 
saint  of  God,  pray  with  the  poet : 

]  Thus,  O  my  Saviour,  let  me  die 
The  righteous  Christian's  death; 
k2 


114    ANECDOTES  OF  MISSIONARY  WORTHIES. 

And  let  ray  last  end  be  like  his, 
\Vhen  I  resign  my  breath. 

2  Were  mine  such  faith,  such  hope,  such  love 
Such  heaven-bom  peace  serene — 

Then  might  I  call  for  instant  death, 
Swifl  to  remove  the  screen. 

3  Then  too,  my  body  might  return 
Unto  its  parent  dust  ; 

My  spirit  wing  its  flight  to  God, 
To  whom  return  it  must 

4  But  ah!  while  I  myself  confess. 
Thy  servant,  Lord  I  to  be, 

In  truth  I  am  compelled  to  say— 
"  Such  zeal  dwells  not  in  me !" 

6  If  such  a  ueathbed  be  the  test. 
That  mine 's  the  bliss  of  heav'n— 
Then,  dearest  Lord  !  let  such  great  grace 
To  me  at  last  be  given ! 


THE  END. 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last 
date  stamped  below 


000  012  055     0 


3V 

2: 

A5la 


"60 


